


Playing To Win

by sitabethel



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Anime & Manga)
Genre: F/F, Post canon, Spivak Pronouns, Visionshipping, because I wanted to play with spivak pronouns with a side character to see how they read, because no one can stop me from adding crazy side ships :), but there is a side order of corporate conspireshipping in this fic, card game tournament, main ship and explicit scenes are visionshipping, non-binary Mokuba
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-01
Updated: 2019-10-22
Packaged: 2020-10-04 15:09:22
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 35,099
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20473067
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sitabethel/pseuds/sitabethel
Summary: Mai convinces Isis to join her for coffee and to join the latest Duel Monsters tournament.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Spivak pronouns are an attempt for a singular non gendered pronouns. They've been around for a long time (and there are different versions). I just wanted to play with them because they/them can get tricky in a novel so I'm seeing how something else reads. Basically, ey, em, and eir, are they, them, and their with the th removed. 
> 
> This fic is part of the Playing To Win wlw collection. Please check out the other stories and encourage the other writers! They worked so hard, and feedback will encourage people to add more wlw focused content to the fandom <3 You can a check out the art for this collection on tumblr: https://ygowlwcollection.tumblr.com/

Mai knew better. She knew better. She fucking knew better. Why the hell did she wear new boots when she knew she’d be standing and dueling? The answer was simple: they were thigh high supple violet leather treated with a high-gloss shimmer that made them sparkle in the sunlight. She paired it with a sinfully black mini-skirt and a purple sequined halter top _just tight enough_ to make her cleavage float above the fabric. 

She’d had her opponents drooling over her all morning long, and since her perfume strategy was now banned—thanks a lot Mr. Seto, I’m a Multi-Billionaire Pissant, Kaiba—she needed every edge she could get. 

Domino City tournaments were notorious for being gigantic clusterfucks. She figured she could at least drive a motorcycle through the crowds, but she was wrong. The bodies herded into the streets so thickly and she could barely walk, let alone drive, so she’d been on her feet the entire day instead of for the games only. She couldn’t wait until a few of the noobs were disqualified and the crowds thinned. She’d been doing her part to send bitches home all day long—winning seven back-to-back games and earning seven puzzle pieces. 

Yes. Puzzle pieces. As if they hadn’t had enough Millenium magical bullshit drama to last them all for several life times, Seto Kaiba in all his hyper-obsessed glory decided instead of stupid star chips or stupid locator cards, _this time_ they’d have to collect 99 puzzle pieces and reconstruct the goddamn Millenium Puzzle. 

That’s right. 99. Puzzle. Pieces. 

Each one 3D printed to size by Kaiba Corp technology. Most people had a replica of the same piece, others had rare pieces—like the corners, and 15 lucky people had the center fragment containing the Eye of Wadjet. 

Mai began the day with the tip of the puzzle, but despite winning 7 duels, she only had two unique pieces. _This_ was the true nature of the tournament. One had to bet replica pieces for new ones once the crowds thinned enough to hunt out the less than awful players. Mai’s plan was to gather as many fragments as possible during the first two days, and once the lambs had been slaughtered _then _she’d target bigger game and start adding specific parts to her collection. 

But as the sun set on Day 1 of the tournament, all Mai could do was lean against a brick wall with her boots beside her and stare at the angry red blisters bubbling on her heels and the sides of her toes. She had a long walk home, with no taxis, ubers, or buses available with the streets congested as they were. Mai sighed, leaning back and closing her eyes. 

“Pardon me, but you look like you might want to borrow these.” 

The voice was rich as satin, and oddly familiar. Mai opened her eyes and lost her breath. There in the setting light, stood Isis Ishar. The warm tones beaming from the horizon wrapped around her, giving her a divine glow. The breeze tossed her hair and the hem of her dress, and Mai’s heart stopped beating. 

Isis raised the flip-flops a little higher, making sure Mai noticed them. Mai pushed her hair out of her face, grinning. 

“Thanks, you’re a real angel.” 

“I didn’t need my Necklace to predict you were going to regret wearing those boots when I saw you this morning. Even if these are a little big, I suspect they'll be appreciated.” 

“I need to thank you somehow, do you like coffee?” Mai accepted the shoes and slipped them onto her feet, sighing in relief. 

“I do. There’s a café in the hotel in which I'm staying.” Isis pointed across the street. “We can go there.” 

“It’s a date.” Mai flashed a grin and offered her arm for Isis to take before escorting her through the crowds. 

She bought two espressos and they found a table. Mai dumped her purse and shoes beside her and savored the sheer bliss of _sitting her ass down_. 

“So, you here for the tournament?” Mai asked, almost rhetorically, as an ice breaker. 

“Yes, I came to watch Rishid and Malik duel.” 

“Watch?” Mai frowned. “Aren’t you dueling? You can beat 90% of the chumps here blindfolded.” 

“You’re very kind, but I’m too rusty. I haven’t dueled competitively since Battle City.” Isis sipped from her cup. 

“Why the hell not? I saw your duel against Seto, you were amazing.” 

“My brother was saved, so there was no need.” 

“Okay, that’s great, and I’m happy for you and Malik, but _you were fucking amazing_. That’s a need all its own. Play because you’re good enough to win.”

“I don’t know.” A bashful smile played on Isis’s lips. 

“Here.” Mai slid her puzzle tip—the second most rare piece in the puzzle—across the table. “Take this and go find it some friends.” “Mai...thank you, but I couldn’t possibly.” Isis pushed the golden fragment toward Mai. “This piece is too rare to give to me.” 

“I’m good enough to get another one.” Mai winked. 

“Of course you are.” Isis smiled. “But it’s still not right to take it from you.” 

“Then give it back to me once you’ve earned a replica.” Mai leaned a little forward, lowering her voice to a conspiratorial hush. “We’ll both see each other in the finals anyway.” 

“I don’t know…” Isis brushed her finger along the smooth gold of the puzzle piece. 

“C’mon.” Mai pouted. “Don’t leave me alone with all these wannabe duelists. I need something to look forward to in this tournament.” Her lips curled into a smirk. “And seeing you again is _definitely_ something to look forward to.” 

“You shameless flirt. I can’t resist the request of a bold woman.” Isis flushed, but she curled her fingers around the gold and slipped the token into her messenger bag. 

“Am I too bold?” Mai asked. 

“Some things are better strong.” Isis tipped her cup to reveal the last of her espresso before downing it. 

“Ah yes,” Mai hummed. “I, too, like my women like I like my coffee—strong, bitter, and…” Mai took a sip. “Wet.” 

Isis exploded into laughter, her face scrunching into a cute knot. She leaned forward and a few strands of hair brushed the table top. Mai couldn’t help laughing with her, but the entire time she was falling in love. No mortal on the planet had a right to look even half as lovely as Isis did in the crowded café, laughing until she snorted and then hiding her face in embarrassment. 

“So…” Mai ran her finger along the rim of her empty espresso cup. “If I’m going to return the shoes, I’ll need your number so I can text you tomorrow.” 

“Yes.” Isis held out her hand. 

After Mai gave up her phone, Isis typed in her number and saved her contact info. She returned the cell to Mai and said, “There’s a Vietanamese restaurant two blocks from here with several tofu dishes on their menu. We can meet there for lunch and you can return the shoes then.”

“Sounds great.” Mai stood, gesturing toward the exit. “May I walk you to your room?” 

“I would enjoy your company. Thank you.” Isis held Mai’s hand as they navigated the crowds to the elevator. 

The hotel lobby stretched wide, a marble floored desert. An oasis of palms grew in a planter of the center of the room, but most of the floor space was for foot traffic and carts piled high with luggage. The front desk to their left was deeply stained mahogany and the hotel seemed obsessed with gilding as many surfaces as possible—the trim of the front desk, the mirror frame, the plants with their elephant ears and miniature palms, _the freaking drinking fountain_. Isis looked about with disdain, as if she hated the faux class as much as Mai did, but she kept quiet as the elevator swallowed them from the view of the rest of the lobby. Isis pushed the button for the 21st floor. Mai whistled. 

“Isn’t that the penthouse suite?” 

“Malik.” Isis sighed. “I only accepted because it’s big enough for all of us, which meant more time to visit everyone. Although we’ve had so much quality time by this point that I’m getting a little...travel fatigued.” 

“Why don’t you stay with them in the mansion? There’d be more room, easier to sneak away for private time.” 

“Honestly, I think the rest of them are trying to get away from the mansion—at least until the tournament is over.” Isis gave a sympathetic shrug. “You know how Seto is.” 

“Seto? You mean the guy who’s hosting this tournament? You mean the Wack Job who’s making us run around the city collecting _99 gold puzzle pieces_. Yeah, I’m familiar. Gee, can’t imagine _why_ anyone would want to avoid _that guy_.” Mai tossed a hand into the air. “At least Yugi leaked a video on social media showing everyone how to put the puzzle together. Otherwise no one would be getting to the tournament.” 

“Seto brags about how easy it is, but he used a computer.” Isis snorted, a touch of vinegar in her tone. “Which doesn’t count.” 

“Damn right it doesn’t count.” Mai smiled. 

The elevator stopped. Mai’s stomach lurched a little before the doors opened and they were able to walk to the only room on that floor. Her borrowed shoes _clip-clopped_ with each step, but Mai was happy to have them instead of her heeled boots. Isis stopped in front of the door, finding her key card in her oversized messenger bag. 

“If you’d like, you can—”

A crash interrupted Isis, along with muffled arguing from behind the door. 

“Oh god, is the entire troop crashing in your suite?” Mai asked, having a good idea of what she’d find on the other side of the door. 

“Yes. The four of them, and Rishid, and even Moki.” Isis sighed, slid her card, and opened the door. 

“No wonder you’re tired. You’re probably exhaust—” 

“Don’t move!” several voices shouted over each other. 

Mai froze, scanning the room to guess what game they’d been drafted into. She chuckled to herself when she saw several couch cushions acting as ‘stepping stones.’ 

“What broke? And why are you all climbing the furniture?” Isis frowned. 

“It was just a vase. We can pay for it later.” Malik waved off the earlier noise with a gesture. “The important thing is that you stay exactly where you are.” 

“Why?” 

“Because clearly the floor is lava.” Bakura waved his hands around as if to demonstrate all the lava boiling below his single-cushioned perch. 

“Aren’t we a little old to be playing such games?” Isis crossed her arms over her chest. 

“Literally no one here had a childhood.” Mokuba laughed from one of the reclining chairs. “In such circumstances, one must make up for lost time.” 

Ey wore Hello Kitty pajama bottoms and a pink t-shirt. In high school, ey’d cut their hair short and insisted on nothing but pant-suits. It wasn’t until two years ago that Ryou had led a sheepish Mokuba to Mai’s place with a sack full of hastily purchased mall make-up and asked for advice. The first thing they’d done was take everything back and replaced it with colors that wouldn’t clash with Mokuba’s skin tone. Next, she’d shown em how to contour, blend, and highlight. 

Even now, years later, Mai was proud of her little kohai. Ey’d grown eir hair long again, sweeping it behind eir head, and wore a well-manicured goatee, and eir cheekbones looked flawless, even in the hotel lighting. 

“Don’t worry. I got this.” Mai kicked out of her flip flops and tossed a boot onto the carpet. “I’m an expert at navigating through lava.” 

And she was. She’d played enough games with them in the past. Mai held Isis’s hand and guided her into the room. She laid the second boot onto the floor to give them more walkway. When they ran out of their leather path, she glanced at Ryou. 

“Be a dear and toss me a pillow, would you?” 

Ryou, wearing Dark Necrofear PJs, nodded and threw the pillow in Mai’s direction. She caught it and stepped onto it, careful not to touch the carpet. She lifted Isis into the air and plopped her onto the nearby loveseat. Isis yelped in surprise when Mai picked her up, but didn’t scold her afterward. Mai jumped onto the loveseat herself, sitting with her legs folded so she didn’t flash anyone. 

“They’re safe!” Ryou punched a victorious fist into the air, and everyone else cheered. 

“You made it to the first base, but we’re not done yet.” Malik pointed to the kitchen. 

“Our goal is to fetch the plate of cookies and bring them safely back to the sofa before the movie starts,” Rishid explained. 

“I could bring you the cookies,” Isis offered. 

“Isis!” Kek called from the back of the room. He was balancing on the ironing board of all things, and Mai couldn’t understand _why_ he chose to go there in the first place. “You can’t! If you take one step you’ll burn to death!” 

“I’m magical. It won’t hurt me.” Isis stood and marched toward the cookies. “See?”

A groan rose up from the entire group. 

“Way to be a buzzkill, Sis.” Bakura tossed his cushion to Mokuba, who replaced it on the recliner before sitting down. 

“It’s late. You can play tomorrow.” Isis sighed. 

“We all have to duel tomorrow.” Mokuba stretched and yawed. 

“All the more reason to settle down for the night. You’ll need sleep in order to duel your best.” 

“Eh, the first three days are nothing more than an endless line of nobodies. Real battles won’t start until we kick all the tourists out.” Bakura dropped into Malik’s lap on the full-sized couch. Ryou and Kek joined them while Rishid took the second reclining chair. Isis passed the plate of cookies to everyone before sitting down and offering the plate to Mai who smiled and grabbed two. 

“Damn. These are good. Ryou, you made these, didn’t you?” Mai shoved another huge bite into her mouth. 

“Yes, thank you.” Ryou laughed. 

“What are you doing here? Thought you were the lone wolf?” Bakura flung his feet over the couch’s arm rest and used Malik’s lap for a pillow. “We usually don’t see you until the after party.” 

“This lone wolf got sore paws.” Mai raised her feet. “Isis rescued me.” 

“Oh Mai, those blisters look awful.” Ryou gasped. “I’ll go get a first aid kit.” 

“Don’t worry about it.” Mai stood. “I should head home anyway. ‘Bout to drop, I’m so tired. Wading through the dueling trash is exhausting.” 

“Tell me about it.” Mokuba rolled eir eyes. “It’s not fair. Seto isn’t gathering pieces, but he said I have to prove myself as a ‘real’ duelist and get to the finals on my own.” 

“You must duel the peasants with the rest of us.” Bakura snickered. 

“We’re just going to swap our pieces with each other to get done more quickly.” Ryou shook his head. “I’ve already begun negotiating trade terms with Yugi and the rest."

“You're cheating,” Isis said. 

“Nah, we’re merely saving time.” Malik waved off her comment. 

“If you have pieces the other needs, you should have to duel each other for them, meaning some of you would be eliminated. By trading pieces, you’re rigging the finals.” 

“But Sis.” Bakura clutched at his heart. “The power of friendship.” 

“Perhaps _I _should challenge you, then.” Isis gave Bakura a tight-lipped grin. “It might do for you to learn humility.” 

“Oh ho! Spoken like every other hot-head nobody duelist in this tournament. Only...no offense, but you’re not even in this tournament.” Bakura shrugged, dismissing Isis’s statement. 

“Yes I am.” Isis stood, flashing her golden piece for Bakura to see. 

“Okay, maybe I can stay a few extra minutes after all.” Mai felt the heart-pounding rush of adrenaline only known to duelists when a good match was about to go down. 

Bakura didn’t know it yet, but he was about to get owned, and it was going to be too beautiful not to watch. 

“Is that the pyramid tip?” Bakura’s mouth dropped. 

“Yes. It’s my starting piece, and I happen to know you managed to obtain one of the four top corners today, so how about it, _brother?_ A duel. Right now. We wager our best pieces.” 

“Oh, you’re on. This is gonna be money in the bank.” Bakura smoothed his hair back, though his spikes jutted into the air, untamable. 

“Uh, Bakura, you’re fucking up,” Kek warned him. “I remember Malik’s games when he was a kid, and I don’t think you should—” 

“Whatever. I got this.” Bakura laughed. 

“You really don’t,” Rishid said. 

“She doesn’t even have an Item anymore. This is going to be as easy as stealing candy from a baby Pharaoh.” 

“We’ll see. Grab your duel disk and let’s go.” Isis disappeared into a side room and returned with her own duel disk. 

“Oh shit, I’m going to make popcorn real quick.” Malik jumped up and ran to the kitchenette. 

“So you can snack while you watch me win?” The grin on Bakura’s face curved his scar. 

“So I can watch you get kicked out of the tournament on your first duel. This is going to be hilarious.” Malik tossed a bag into the microwave. 

“Fucking jerks.” Bakura rolled his eyes as he shuffled his cards. 

He slammed his deck into the duel disk and Rishid flipped a coin. Isis won the toss and set two cards face down. Everyone scooted as close as they could without interfering with the holographic monsters on each side of the playing field. Bakura pursed his lips, suspicious of Isis’s face down cards. He summoned White Magical Hat, but didn’t attack. 

Isis countered with Zolga and destroyed Bakura’s monster while clipping 700 LP from his total. Bakura growled, summoning another monster. After a few rounds he managed to pull out Dark Necrofear. Bakura tossed his head and cackled, but Isis cancelled the summon with a trap card. Two rounds later, Bakura’s LP dropped to 0. He stood frozen in place. 

“What?” Bakura's jaw dropped. 

“As I was saying...humility,” Isis said in a curt voice, hammering her point home without raising her voice. 

Mai chuckled at Bakura’s expression. He was going to have to scrape his jaw off the floor before housekeeping showed. 

“Told you!” Kek called. 

“Told you,” Rishid said. 

“Told you,” Malik echoed the other two, laughing. 

“Fuck…” Bakura continued to stand with his arms at his sides. 

Isis walked to meet him. Her dress, her hair, they hardly moved as she stepped forward. Her posture was firm, refined. She carried herself like a queen, and she held her palm out to Bakura expecting her due tribute. 

“Oh come on. You’re not really going to—” 

“Your corner piece, please,” Isis said. 

“I don’t have any other pieces, let me give it to you tomorrow.” 

“The fact that your vanity made you squander your first day of the tournament instead of gathering more pieces is not my concern. We wagered. You lost. Are you going to welsh?” 

“Damn, Sis! You’re so mean!” Bakura went to the other room and returned with a glint of gold in his palm. He dropped the piece into her hand and slumped onto the couch with both arms crossed over his chest. 

“Don’t worry, Bakura.” Ryou sighed. “I’ll give you one of my extras, but I’m giving you a common piece. You really should have known better than to duel any of the Ishtars before the finals.” 

“Don’t baby him, Ryou. Isis is right. Each year the younger duelists get better. The rest of you can’t joke and laugh if you want to keep winning, so stop pouting, Bakura. You had it coming.” Mai shook her head. 

“Why are you even still here. Go away already.” Bakura turned away from her while continuing his epic pouting act. 

“Well, I had to watch you get knocked down a peg, didn’t I?” Mai blew them all a kiss. “Fun as this was. I really do need my beauty sleep. _Ciao_.” Mai winked at Isis, remembering their lunch date tomorrow, and made her way home in Isis’s sandals.


	2. Chapter 2

The second day of the tournament was much like the first. Back-to-back duels, Mai hustling to gather as many pieces as she could, overenthusiastic rookies dragging each game out for longer than necessary. When possible, Mai dueled opponents with at least a dozen pieces, offering up an equal number in all-or-nothing battles. By lunch, she’d gathered 62 total puzzle pieces, but she’d have to sort them at the end of the night to see how many were unique and how many were duplicates. 

She stood at the corner of Seventh and Pacific Avenue. The aroma from the restaurant beside her made her mouth water. After five or six minutes of waiting, Isis trotted through the crowds, rushing to reach Mai. 

“I’m sorry I’m late. The last duel ran long.” Isis bowed in apology. 

“I’m happy you’re here.” Mai smiled, passing over a bag. 

“What’s this?” Isis blinked. 

“Your shoes and a little gift I tossed in there.” 

“I don’t need a gift.” A coy smile teased the corners of Isis’s mouth. 

“You deserve it. You entered the tournament and kicked Bakura’s ass for your first duel. This entire event is going to be more fun with you in it.” 

“You think so?” Isis’s gaze tilted toward Mai again. 

“For starters, I have someone to eat lunch with, so yeah.” Mai gestured to the bag. “You can open it.” 

“Of course.” Isis reached in and pulled out the box beside her shoes. She lifted the lid and smiled at the three bath bombs. “They’re lovely.” 

“Dueling in the city is hard. Sweat, dirt, your feet ache. Figured a nice bath at the end of the day would help.” 

“Thank you.” Isis placed the bath bombs into the bag and took Mai’s hand. “Shall we eat?” 

“Yes. I’m starving.” Mai laughed, pulling Isis into the restaurant. 

They ordered coffee and vegetable egg rolls to split while they looked over the menu. Mai decided to get Pho while Isis ordered tofu curry. They sipped their coffee and waited on their orders. Outside the windows, hologram monsters battled in the streets. 

“Looks like Armageddon out there.” Mai laughed. 

“You’re right. I saw similar visions during Battle City when I had the Necklace.” Isis winced. “But that was a long time ago, and those dark visions thankfully didn’t come to pass.” 

“Yeah.” Mai propped her cheek up with her hand. “Must have been rough—to see it.” 

“Not as rough as losing a Shadow Game.” Isis frowned. “I’m sorry for what you went through.” 

“Pffff, _that_.” Mai waved off the memory with her hand. “It wasn’t my favorite tournament for sure, but oddly enough, wasn’t the worst thing that’s ever happened to me. Besides, Kek and I got past that years ago. Now we’re drinking buddies. What about you? Is the whole Malik/Kek thing weird?”

“I don’t see my brother in him. He has strawberry highlights in his hair, and his eyes are almost gray, and he’s a centimeter shorter. Not to mention…” Isis gave a helpless shrug. “He’s a little nicer than Malik.” 

“Probably Ryou’s influence.” Mai laughed. “Malik is a catty bitch—I say that with love and respect.” 

“It’s true.” Isis giggled. “He and Bakura are both so dramatic.” 

“They sure are. Especially when they’re around Seto. The finals are going to be a hot mess between them and Atem.” Mai pretended to draw a card from an imaginary deck. “You’re pathetic. A true duelist attacks without hesitation. Now! Blue Eyes! Attack his Life Points directly!” 

Isis laughed until she gasped. Mai was snorting and holding her stomach. They quieted when the server brought their food, but a quick glance at each other afterward sent them into another fit. 

“I don’t know if Atem and Seto are worse before or after they became exes.” Mai shook her head. 

“Hard to tell,” Isis confessed. 

“And have you seen Ryou duel? It’s hilarious. He trolls his opponent the entire time.” Mai batted her eyelashes and folded her hands into her lap. “I’m very happy to be dueling you today. Please, let’s try our best!” 

“He does that to the others any time he wants something. They know they’re being manipulated, but they can never tell him no.” 

“I’d say I taught him everything he knows—but he was pulling that act well before I met him.” 

“You met them during a tournament, yes?” Isis asked. 

“Mmm-hmm.” Mai blew on her Pho to cool it before taking a sip. “Pegasus’s Island. Also crazy as fuck. I was also attacked during _that_ tournament, goddamn. Then there was more Shadow Game Bullshit with Pegasus, and I almost got my ass stranded on the island. Fortunately Katsuya rolled out a rope ladder from Seto’s helicopter and I clung to it all the way back to the mainland. Hot damn my arms were cramped.” 

“You...clung to a ladder _dangling_ from a flying helicopter?” Isis’s expression dropped. 

“Sure did. There was no other way off the island.” 

“Weren’t you terrified?” Isis stopped eating and rested her hands on the table, leaning forward. 

“Nah. It was kinda fun. So much happened that it seemed like an appropriate end to the adventure. I don’t plan on ever doing it again, but the things you can get away with in your 20s, right?” 

“I never did anything exciting in my 20s.” Isis shook her head. 

“Late bloomer. Guess now’s your time to shine.” 

“You’re blunt and a little crass, but you always have a way of spinning everything into something exciting and fun. I think it’s beautiful.” Isis smiled. 

“I think you’re beautiful.” Mai focused on her soup as if what she’d said was nothing of consequence. 

“Thank you.” Isis tucked a strip of hair behind her ear and they returned to their food. 

Their conversation didn’t stop, but it slowed as they ate. Afterward, they split a slice of cheesecake. Isis insisted on paying. Mai argued, but lost when Isis excused herself to go to the restroom and returned with a receipt. Tricky Ishtars. Mai was going to have to remember it and not underestimate Isis—especially if they ended up dueling each other in the finals. Mai knew better than anyone how a pretty face could distract even a great duelists. 

“Guess it’s back to the grind.” Mai gestured out the window where the duels continued on without them. 

“Yes. I’ve gathered several pieces, but I’ll need more in order to fashion a complete set.” Isis touched Mai’s hand. “I enjoyed eating lunch with you.” 

“Same.” Mai smiled and held her breath to not say any obvious jokes. “Guess I’ll be seeing you around?” 

“I’ll be returning to my hotel room near sunset.” Isis kissed Mai on the cheek before walking out of the restaurant. 

Isis’s dress swished as she walked. Mai stared, hypnotized at the grace of Isis’s movements. She pressed a hand to her heart and sighed loudly. Fanning herself, Mai gathered her things and forced herself back into the crowds. Dueling amateurs gave her plenty of time to daydream, and she chose to daydream about the way Isis tucked her hair behind her ear, or how breathy she grew when she laughed hard enough. Mai headed toward Isis’s hotel earlier than she should have, eager to see Isis again. She stood, leaning against the wall, and ran imaginary conversations through her head. 

“I hope you haven’t been waiting long,” Isis said beside her. 

“I just got here,” Mai lied, a little guilty from being caught by the object of her thoughts. “How were your duels?” 

“My last one was difficult.” Isis frowned. “The duelist was so young, I don’t think I gave them enough credit. They almost won, but Exchange of the Spirit saved me.” 

“Glad you’re still in it. Can’t give Bakura the satisfaction of you getting booted out right after him.” 

“I’d never hear the end of it.” Isis pointed down. “How are your feet?” 

“A few blisters from yesterday, but much better.” Mai kicked out a foot to show off her flat-heeled boots which only went above her ankles instead of to her thighs. 

“I have an ointment which will help the blisters heal. Come up to my room and I’ll fetch it.” 

“Okay. Thanks, doll.” 

Isis flinched. She covered it with a smile, but Mai caught it. 

“You didn’t like that? Sorry, I’m bad about little nicknames.” 

“It was a sweet gesture, but…” isis glanced to the streets. “Doll sounds like something Malik would have said—when he had the Rod.” 

“The Ghouls.” Mai nodded. They’d talked about it during drunken slumber parties. Malik hated his past actions as much as Kek did. “Sorry. I’m kind of a dumbass.”

“No.” Isis gripped Mai’s forearm. “Don’t say that. Let’s be frank—you’re not Bakura.” 

“You have a point!” Mai chuckled. 

Mai enjoyed the long elevator ride to Isis’s suite. They stood close, arms pressed together. Isis recounted several of her more interesting games of the day. Too soon, the elevator stopped and they were at Isis’s door. Mai’s thoughts raced for one last conversation to keep Isis at the door, but her brain betrayed her. 

“Well…” Isis teased a strand of her hair. 

“Uh...yeah…” Mai traced the designs on the carpet with the toe of her boot. 

Before either of them could say goodbye, another crash from the room interrupted them, followed by several voices arguing. Isis sighed in long suffering. 

“Hey.” Mai stood in front of the door to block Isis. “I know from experience how they get when they’re in slumber party mode. If you wanted, you could pack up a bug-out bag and come crash on the futon in my living room.”

“I wouldn’t want to be a bother.” Isis shook her head to decline the offer. 

“I promise you wouldn’t be—and you know I’m not polite enough to offer if I didn’t mean it.” 

“You’re right.” Isis’s smile returned. “And I’m positive I’d sleep better with you. Very well.” 

Mai stepped aside as Isis used her card to open the door. She took a deep breath, trying to ignore how Isis said “sleep better with you” instead of “sleep better at your place.” Surely it was a translation error, but damn, the thought was enough to make Mai breathless. 

“Isis, we can explain.” Ryou bowed three times when he saw her walk into the room. 

They'd converted the entire living area of the suite into a blanket fort maze. Mai remembered helping them build several during drunk hang-out nights. She glanced over the room, but nothing appeared to be smashed. Mai wondered where the crash came from. 

“I’m sure my brother will pay for whatever Bakura broke.” Isis waved the apology away as she continued to her room. 

“Don’t blame me! You don’t even know what happened!” Bakura stuck his head out from one of the couch cushion towers. 

Isis vanished into her room. And the others exchanged glances. 

“Is she mad?” Kek whispered. 

“Maybe I should try and find a maid and ask for a broom.” Rishid snuck out of the room before anyone could agree or protest. 

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen her actually mad.” Malik shook his head. 

“I’ve seen her look disappointed.” Bakura shot at her room with an imaginary gun. “I’ve seen her disappointed look at least 1 million times.” 

“Maybe I should talk to her.” Malik crawled away from the fort and stood. 

"Talk to me about what?" Isis appeared with a messenger bag slung over her shoulder. 

"Wait, are you leaving? Where are you going? Don’t rent another hotel room—we’ll turn the noise down." Malik's jaw dropped.

"You're fine. Keep playing, but I need to focus on reorganizing my deck and it'll be more peaceful at Mai's apartment." 

"We can be quiet!" Kek said in a voice someone might mistake for angry, but everyone knew was how Kek sounded whenever he felt like he was overstepping a boundary and got flustered. 

"No we can't. Just let her go hang out with Mai." Bakura spoke up from his blanket tower.

"Bakura, this is _her _room. _We_ can get another one." Malik scowled.

“I’m already packed,” Isis said. 

“But Mai’s place is on the other side of town.” Malik shook his head. 

“Malik,” Mai spoke through clenched teeth. She couldn’t believe she was getting clam jammed by little brother like this. “It’s cool. We’re already on our way out.” 

“But—” 

“Malik.” Isis blushed. “Please. It’s fine.”

“Malik, you’re pathetic—let them go!” Bakura’s laughter was muffled from inside his tent. Knowing Bakura, he’d figured out what was going on and dying of laughter at Malik’s ignorance. 

“Bakura’s right. You should just let them go. It’ll...be good for their dueling.” Kek smirked. 

“_Oh_!” Ryou's expression changed after Kek spoke. He smiled and took Isis’s arm, guiding her to the door. "We really should let them practice in peace. Isis will have plenty of time to visit with us later, but this is a good chance for her to make a friend in Domino." 

"I suppose you're right." Malik half-pouted, but didn't object.

"Mai, why don't you take Malik's bike. I'm sure you're both tired and traffic should be at least thinned enough for a motorcycle." 

Ryou tossed Mai a set of keys. Mai thanked whichever god listening. Bakura, Ryou, and Kek were fucking angels.

"Wait, what?" Malik's jaw dropped. Bakura cackled loudly the background. 

"Thanks guys." Mai blew them each a kiss.

"Thank you, Malik." Isis nodded her head. "It's a very kind gesture." 

"But, okay, take the bike—I guess—but Mai make sure you—" 

"I will take care of your baby, Malik. Duelist honor." 

"Forget the bike, take care of Isis." Malik hugged himself, but tried to force a smile into his face. 

“Don’t worry—she will!” Bakura shouted. 

“Shut the fuck up, Bakura!” Mai snapped. 

“Ignore him.” Isis waved goodbye, but jerked Mai out the door. They waited until they were in the elevator again before they burst into giggles. Isis pressed her hands over her mouth. "Oh no, I didn't mean for them to think I was mad." 

"Don't worry about it. They'll be fine. Focus on the tournament." Mai nudged Isis with her elbow. 

"I don't really need to work on my deck," Isis whispered as if sharing a grand conspiracy. "But they would have asked 100 questions if I told them we were hanging out for fun." 

"You know, I was thinking about restarting Illusions of Gaia for my old Super Nintendo. When I'm dueling each day in tournaments, I find the best way not to burn out is by playing something completely different in my down time." Mai teased her hair. “Want to play with me?” 

"A video game, yes? I've seen the others play, but it looked challenging." 

"Some can be, but this is more story based." 

"Will you teach me how to play?" Isis asked. 

"Of course." Mai jingled Malik's motorcycle keys as they walked to the parking lot. "Let's grab a bite to eat first."

Isis stopped by Rishid’s car and fetched her helmet. She mounted behind Mai, setting her feet and hands into place in a way that told Mai she was used to riding passenger. Mai slipped through the crowds and to a noodle shop near her apartments. They found a booth in the back and dug into their dinner. Mai remembered Isis sneaking away to pay for lunch, so she made sure to get the check and pay for dinner. Fed but tired from the long day, they entered Mai’s apartment and dropped onto Mai’s futon. 

“Before we begin the game, may I take a moment to sort all my pieces?” Isis asked. 

“I was going to ask you the same question. Be right back—gotta change.” 

Mai ran into her room and slipped into a cami and pair of boxers. She dumped her pieces onto the carpet and started separating the useless duplicates from the more important pieces. 

“I have 36 original pieces.” Isis beamed. 

“Only 27.” Mai sighed. “Tomorrow should be better.” 

“Here.” Isis held out the bottom piece of the puzzle. “I won my own today. Thank you for allowing me to borrow yours.” 

“Thanks for keeping me company during this tournament.” Mai dragged her fingers along Isis’s palm as she reclaimed the extra puzzle piece. 

Isis grasped Mai’s wrist with her free hand, tugging Mai closer. She tilted Mai’s face, drawing their mouths close together. 

“It was my pleasure,” Isis whispered with lidded eyes. 

“It will be,” Mai spoke, and Isis’s breath washed over her cheek when she laughed. 

Isis closed her eyes, so Mai bridged the space between them. It was a single, lingering, closed-mouth kiss. When Mai eased back she saw a wide, happy look on Isis’s face and it made Mai’s heart scream. 

“So how do I play Nintendo?” Isis asked. 

“Uh…” Mai swallowed, trying to remember what a Ninendo was. “Let me set it up.” 

Mai crawled to the TV and turned everything on, bringing the control pad to Isis. They sat pressed side to side, the bright 16-bit colors flickering across Mai’s living room. 

“Okay, what do I do?” Isis asked after the initial cinema. 

“D-pad for directions.” Mai leaned over Isis with little concern about private space. “And then these buttons to attack, use an item, or whatever.” 

Isis nodded, leaning her weight against Mai as Mai explained the control pad. They ran around the town so Isis could get used to the controls. 

“Easy, right?” Mai grinned. 

“I don’t know, I think it might be better if you were a little closer to help out if things get too complicated.” Isis wrapped one of Mai’s arms around her so she could fully lay against Mai’s chest. 

“Damn, Ishtars are so sneaky.” Mai giggled. 

“Are we?” Isis asked with a coy tone. 

“You won’t hear me complaining.” Mai squeezed Isis. 

“Glad to hear,” Isis hummed with a sleepy, flirty voice. 

They settled together and Mai murmured hints here and there to help Isis along. Mai was content to watch Isis play, smiling as her childhood nostalgia washed over her during her favorite early game moments. They finished the Diamond Mine before Isis saved and set down the control pad, yawning. 

“I know, me too.” Mai mimicked her yawn. 

“Dueling shouldn’t be so exhausting.” Isis untangled herself from Mai’s embrace and grabbed her bag. “Wash room?” 

“You can’t miss it.” Mai pointed down the hall. 

As Isis changed, Mai brought extra bedding and made up the futon to use as a bed. 

“Thank you,” Isis said from behind. 

“No prob...lem…” Mai’s jaw dropped. Isis wore a silky nightgown, and her hair was loose without the gold rings she often wore. A crooked smile stretched across Mai’s face. “I’ve never seen you without kohl on before. You look nice.” 

“Thank you.” Isis walked closer, her hands clasped in front of her. 

“Well...guess this is goodnight.” Mai fidgeted with the hem of her top, heart racing. 

“Thank you for inviting me over.” 

“Any time.” Mai poked the tip of Isis’s nose. 

Isis scrunched her face, as if the gesture tickled. Mai laughed, stealing a kiss from Isis’s cheek. Isis held Mai’s face and drew them together again. Isis’s lips dragged against Mai’s. She lost track of time as they stood toe-to-toe and kissed. Isis finally pulled back enough to whisper. 

“Goodnight.” 

“Goodnight.” Mai was so focused on Isis that she stumbled and almost fell on her ass as she tried to walk back to her room. “Fuck!” 

“Are you okay?” Isis’s mouth dropped. She reached out as if to help Mai walk.

“Great! I’m great.” Mai waved off her klutziness as if her face wasn’t burning in embarrassment. “I, uh, I’m gonna do the walk of shame to my room now and pretend like I didn’t just trip on my own feet.” 

“Oh, the cream.” Isis rushed to her bag. “I bet your feet still hurt from the other day.” 

“Oh yeah, nice excuse. We’ll go with that and blame the blisters.” Mai grinned, not mentioning her clammy palms or racing pulse—neither of which could be blamed on a pair of new boots. 

“Here you go.” Isis pressed the cream into Mai’s hands. “Cover any sore spots. You should feel better in the morning.” 

“Thanks, shug.” Mai risked a quick, final kiss and ran toward her room before she could do anything else stupid. She stopped long enough to glance over her shoulder. “That nickname any better?” 

“I think it’s sweet.” Isis rested a hand on her hip, grinning at her own pun. 

“You hang out with Bakura and Rishid too much.” Mai snorted. 

She blew Isis a kiss and jumped face-first onto her bed. Mai did her best to fall asleep, but repeated the few, fleeting kisses she’d shared with Isis over and over in her mind instead. 


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Busy tomorrow, so have a day early update~

The next morning, Mai stumbled to the kitchen. Her long night had her desperate for a cup of coffee. Isis already stood in front of the stove, cooking eggs.

"I should have pegged you as a morning person." Mai hid a yawn behind her hand.

"Is it really pegging if two women do it?" Isis handed Mai a cup of coffee.

"Well, I mean technically not but—wait a damn minute," Mai's jaw dropped as her mind woke up enough to join the conversation. "Where did you hear about pegging?"

"I spend most of my time with academics." Isis stirred the scrambled eggs in the skillet. "I hope you don't mind me cooking? I'm so used to waking up and preparing everyone breakfast in the morning, that I already broke the eggs before it occurred to me I was a guest." 

"Please, break into my kitchen every morning and hand me a cup of coffee." Mai kissed Isis's temple, wondering how early she'd have to wake up to make Isis breakfast instead.

A heavy thought settled into the pit of Mai's stomach as she set butter and jam on the table to go with their toast. 

"So, are you rushing back home after the tournament, or are you going to hang around for a bit?" 

"I'll be in town for at least a few weeks. I've been offered a job teaching at the university and I'm tempted to accept." 

"Oh, really?" Mai asked—casually—as if she wasn't repressing the urge to hand Isis a key, ask her to move in, offer to be the mother of her children, and make her breakfast in bed at least once a week. 

"Yes. It'd be nice to be closer to Malik and Rishid. Maybe...pace the quality time a little more… leisurely." 

"What's that?" Mai held a hand to her ear as if she was trying to hear. "You don't enjoy having both brothers and four brother-in-laws crashing your hotel room while you visit Japan? Why ever not?" 

"Each time. _Each time. _They drag me to the same fancy sushi restaurant and the same tourist attractions, and they make me spend hours in the museum. And I love museums, I work in one, but I want to buy stupid souvenirs at the 100 yen store, and get lost in a random part of town where I can discover something new, and eat food that isn't five star." Isis sighed and divided the eggs between two plates. "Like the noodle place last night. That was delicious, and so fun. I love anthropology and what better way to observe than in a crowded noodle stand? This tournament has been a blessing to me: wandering the streets in a crowd, dueling strangers from all over the world, and none of Malik and Bakura's banter through any of it." 

"Holy shit, we're going to have so much fun after the tournament." Mai squealed as she set the plates Isis gave her onto the table. "I will drag you to all the not-tourist hang outs. And we can get pastries at _Tours les Jours_, and sit at the park making up stories about all the passers by." 

"Sounds wonderful." 

"You don't have to, if you're busy with the job offer, or maybe you'd rather—"

"Mai." Isis reached across the table and squeezed Mai's hand. "It sounds wonderful." 

"Okay." Mai grinned, unable to bear how lovely Isis looked sitting across from her. It was like that spot had always been empty because it'd been waiting for Isis to claim it. 

"You know, you look pretty in the mornings." Isis covered her smile by sipping her coffee. "And every other time, but you're a little more wild in the mornings and it becomes you." 

"Wait 'till you see how wild I can be at night." Mai winked. She took a bite and pointed her fork at her eggs. "These are hella tasty, by the way." 

"Thank you." 

Silence settled over them as they ate. Having nothing important to say but wanting to talk to Isis more regardless, Mai fell into the dreaded categories of _small talk_.

"Did you sleep well last night?" 

Isis shrugged. "The futon was comfortable, but I struggled to shut off my mind." 

"I had the same problem." 

"Must be the duels," Isis said.

"Yeah, tournaments will eat you alive if you let them." Mai checked her cell phone. "Speaking of, I better get my ass into gear. Thanks for breakfast." Mai grabbed their empty plates and cups and shoved them into the dishwasher.

"Will I see you tonight?" Isis asked.

"You might notice me near your hotel around sundown." Mai blew Isis a kiss. "Want first go at the shower?" 

"I appreciate it." 

Mai picked out her clothes. Once the shower was free, she jumped in and scrubbed down, not bothering wetting her hair. They packed their things for the day and walked out of Mai's apartment with linked arms.

"Want to give Malik his keys?" Mai tossed the keys at Isis.

"Yes, I can drive the bike back to the hotel as well." Isis caught the keys and dropped them into her bag.

"I didn't know you could drive a bike," Mai said. 

"Malik and Rishid enjoyed it so much, I decided to learn. I understand why they love it, very liberating. Want me to drop you anywhere before we part?" 

"I'm gonna try my luck on the other end of town, but maybe you can pick me up for a date one day." 

"I'd love to." Isis held Mai by the waist, pulled her close, and kissed Mai's bottom lip. "Quality lip stain. Didn't fade at all." Isis waved as she headed toward Malik's bike. 

"Lipstick is for housewives. A duelist needs something that can last all day long." Mai shouted, waiving as Isis drove through the crowded streets. 

Mai bit her lower lip. For all her duelist bragging, Mai knew the games would be nothing more than a way to kill time before she could see Isis again. 

*** 

“How were your duels?” Mai asked that evening as they rode the elevator to Isis's suite. 

“Hard,” Isis confessed. “Most beginners have been eliminated, and I chose my battles based on what pieces potential opponents had to offer.” 

“Sounds a lot like my day. Won some important edge pieces, but I worked my ass off for them.” Mai nodded. 

Isis glanced downward. “You appear to be lying.” 

“Ha! Okay, maybe I was exaggerating when I said I worked my ass off.” 

“Thank goodness, whatever would I hang onto otherwise?” 

Mai spun to face Isis. She leaned closer, framing Isis with her arms as she proppered herself against the elevator wall. 

“And when were you planning on using me as a pair of handlebars?” 

“_Hmm…_” Isis’s lips twisted into a smirk as she mulled over the question. “Perhaps we can play Illusions of Gaia tomorrow night after we duel?” 

“Sounds nice. I’ll make dinner since you did breakfast this morning.” 

“Okay.” Isis plucked a hasty kiss from Mai’s lips before the elevator doors opened. 

Mai held her breath as they walked to the door. She waited for a crash, argument, explosion, but an unsettling silence echoed all around them. 

“Am I the only one who finds the quiet...suspicious?” 

“No.” Isis pulled her keycard and opened the door. 

Inside, the usual suspects sat in their favorite chairs and sofas. Malik read a paperback. Bakura and Ryou were sharing a Nintendo Switch. Kek was curled beside them snoring. Rishid was gathering a tea tray and carrying it into the living room, and Mokuba sat in a corner by emself frowning at eir cards. 

“Hey, kiddo, you okay?” Mai asked Mokuba. “I get why everyone else is squatting in the hotel, but you usually spend more time with Seto.” 

“I saw him today.” Mokuba didn’t look up from eir cards. 

“Is he well?” Isis asked. 

“He’s Seto Kaiba. He’s doing great.” 

“They dueled,” Rishid offered for more information. 

Mai and Isis both nodded together. Mai bit her lower lip, but had to ask. “And?” 

“And I lost,” Mokuba said. 

“It was an amazing game,” Ryou said. “I swear I held my breath during the last half because it was so close.” 

Mokuba grit eir teeth. “But that’s not the point. The point is I lost, and I can’t afford to lose this tournament.” 

“Regardless if you win, you should always be proud when you play well.” Isis walked to the corner table and sat across from em. 

“No offense, Isis, but _playing well_ isn’t good enough to beat my brother. I have to play to win.” 

Mai sent a sharp glance at the others, silently asking them why the hell they weren’t being more supportive, but she received five silent, shaking heads telling her with their expressions that it was best if she sat down and didn’t push. Isis surely saw the looks on their faces as well, but chose to ignore them. 

“Would you like some help?” 

“Thanks Isis, but I’m fine.”

“If you change your mind, we’re here.” 

“Thanks again,” Mokuba muttered, ignoring her as ey shuffled eir deck and drew an experimental hand. 

With a scowl that made em resemble Seto, Mokuba shoved the cards back into eir hand and drew a mulligan. Mai tapped her foot. The frown on Mokuba’s face had her in Maximum Big Sister Mode, and she wondered if any of the others would help her sneak into the mansion so she could beat Seto Kaiba upside the head with a rolled up newspaper. 

“Are you hungry, Sister?” Malik asked to divert the topic. 

“We grabbed something downstairs before we came up,” Isis replied. “But thank you.”

“Would you like some tea?” Rishid brought the tray to her. 

“Yes. Thank you.” 

He continued bringing cups around. Mai accepted one as well. When finished, Rishid sat down with his own tea. No one spoke. It was unnerving. 

“I’m bored. We should do something.” Bakura tossed his joy con on the ground and dropped his head onto Malik’s lap. 

“We are. We’re playing the quiet game.” Malik continued reading. 

“Malik, it isn’t necessary to be quiet for my sake.” Isis carried her empty cup to the kitchen nook and rinsed it. 

“We’re not going to run you out of your own room again.” Malik glared at Bakura as if it were personally his fault. 

“You weren’t being any worse than usual last night.” Isis shook her head. “I simply thought it might be nice to practice with less distraction around.” 

“My point exactly.” Malik closed his book. “We promise not to distract you tonight.” 

“Malik, please listen.” Isis pinched the bridge of her nose. “I’m going back to Mai’s tomorrow regardless, so there’s no need to walk on eggshells around me.” 

“Pffft, did you get the Necklace back?” Bakura snorted. “Can you see the trouble we’re going to get into tomorrow and already trying to avoid it?”

“No, I simply want to play Nintendo.” 

“You don’t play Nintendo,” Malik said. 

“Really? Because I’m pretty sure we were playing Nintendo for several hours yesterday.” Mai raised an eyebrow at Malik. 

"Malik," Ryou hissed in as quiet a voice as possible.

Mai had to wonder if Isis was such a Figure in Malik's head that he couldn't comprehend the thought of his sister dating in the same way some people never warmed up to the idea of their divorced mothers dating. He sure wasn’t getting the hints, which was odd, since Malik was usually a champion with inferred meaning, or maybe he was intentionally being oblivious. 

“Let’s play poker.” Mai clapped her hands. “It’s not too rowdy and everyone can participate.” 

“Isis doesn’t play poker,” Malik said. 

“Have you ever _asked_ her to play?” Mai pressed a hand to her hip. 

“She’s my sister. I know she doesn’t want to play some stupid card game people play in bars.” Malik crossed his arms over his chest. 

“Sounds fun. I would love to learn. Rishid, would you help me carry the dining table over here where there’s more room?” Isis sauntered into the dining area next to the kitchen. 

“Yes, of course.” 

Rishid and Isis each took a side of the table and walked it to the area serving as the living room. Bakura grabbed chairs two at a time. Ryou shook Kek awake, and Malik sighed but wandered over to grab the last chair before carrying it to the others. 

“Is the movie over?” Kek yawned, stretching. 

“The movie has been over for an hour, love. We’re going to play poker.” 

“Okay.” Kek scratched his scalp through the mangled tuff he called hair and sat between Ryou and Bakura. 

Mai gestured to the corner of the room. “Oi! Mokuba! Play three games to clear your mind and then go back to strategizing.” 

“Mai—”

“It will help you play better. I promise.” Mai blew Mokuba a kiss. 

“Fine.” Mokuba rolled eir eyes and dropped beside Mai. She braided eir hair and twisted it into a knot to keep it our of eir face when ey returned to organizing eir cards. 

“Thanks.” Mokuba capitulated a small smile in her direction. 

“Gotta watch over my protegé.” Mai nudged em with her elbow. 

“I’m glad you’re joining us, Mokuba.” Isis settled near Mai’s other side. She smoothed her skirt across her lap and stared at the table. 

Bakura dropped a deck of cards in the center and Ryou poured a bag of jelly beans onto the table. 

“Reds are 500. Blues are 1,000. Green are 2,500, and oranges are 10,000 yen. Bakura, stop eating them, or I will break your fingers.” Ryou smacked at Bakura’s knuckles. 

“It was a yellow one.” Bakura stuck out his tongue with the candy rested on top. 

“Hell yeah, this is my sort of gambling.” Mai also stole a yellow jelly bean and popped it into her mouth. 

Everyone helped sort their “money” and divided the candies evenly. Mai shuffled the cards, showing off some of her skills from her casino dealer days. Isis’s eyes lit up as she watched, and Mai grinned like a fool. 

“Okay, five card draw. Nothing wild since Isis is learning the game. In fact…” Mai flashed a charming smile in Isis’s direction. “Why don’t you scoot your chair closer and I can walk you through the first two or three games?” 

“Thank you. I appreciate it.” Isis pressed their chairs together, linking her left arm with Mai’s right and resting her head on Mai’s shoulder. “Yes, I think I’ll learn quite a bit this way.” 

“Oh gods.” Kek rested his face in his palms. _He got it_. 

“Hey, Malik, why don’t we partner up as well?” Bakura scooted a little closer. Bakura got it too, and wanted to steal Mai’s swagger (though she expected nothing less of the Thief King). 

“Are you out of your mind? I’d like to win a few of these games.” Malik snorted, ignoring Bakura and focusing on his cards.

“Ouch,” Mokuba muttered under eir breath. 

“Malik, you’re so cruel.” Rishid shook his head. 

“He’s so stupid.” Bakura rolled his eyes. 

“Last time we partnered together in a card game, Ra roasted our asses, remember?” Malik shoved Bakura’s fringe into his face. Bakura scowled and brushed his mop out of the way again. 

“You could play on my side.” Kek winked. “Should have the first time, anyway.” 

“You’re right. I should have.” Bakura shot Malik a _see what you're missing_ look before crawling into Kek’s lap. 

A hint of competitiveness flashed in Isis’s eyes, and Mai knew she wanted to match Bakura’s upped flirting ante, but was too dignified to actually sit in Mai’s lap in front of family. She did, however, lower her hands beneath the table and glide her hand up the top of Mai’s thigh. Mai bit the inside of her cheek, reminding herself to thank Bakura later.

“First thing is the ante.” Mai pushed a red jelly bean into the center of the table, and the others added their own. “We each add something to the pot.”

Mai passed the cards to Mokuba who dealt, and then they all looked at their hands. Kek and Bakura whispered to each other for a moment before adding a blue jelly bean to the pot. 

“Whoever’s left of the dealer places the bet. Everyone else has to match or fold,” Mai explained. 

Isis nodded, her hand stopped toying with Mai’s skin as she focused on the game. She dropped one of their jelly beans with the others. 

“Now you can choose up to three cards to trade in.” Mai used her phone to search for card hands, showing Isis what they were going for. They had nothing, so Mai pointed at the three cards she wanted to discard before trading them. After Mokuba dealt the new hands, Bakura and Kek added a green bean to the pot. 

“They’re betting higher, which means they either think they can win, or they’re bluffing us. Should we match them, or fold?” 

“Bakura’s full of hot air.” Isis dropped another green jelly bean into the pot. 

“Ho ho! Are you sure about that?” Bakura smirked. 

“I’d bet 2,500 yen on it,” Isis replied. 

“I’m afraid I don’t have your confidence.” Rishid folded. 

“I’m in.” Malik tossed in his own jelly bean. 

“Nope.” Ryou stared at Bakura for a moment before folding. 

“Isis is right, Bakura’s full of shit.” Mokuba joined the betting. 

They revealed their cards, and Bakura and Kek won with a flush. Kek cackled, scooping the jelly beans into a pile and pulling them to their side of the table. 

“We won. Eat it, Ishtar.” Bakura stuck his tongue out at Malik. 

“What exactly are we eating?” Isis smiled. “We can’t eat the jelly beans because then we couldn’t bet.” 

Mai opened her mouth to (_helpfully!_) mention that the room was plentiful in carpet to snack on, but Rishid hid his face behind his cards before she could even open her mouth. 

“Please don’t say what I think you’re going to say.” 

Mai decided to give poor Rishid a break, but Bakura didn’t have any such notion of kindness. 

“Oh, don't worry, Sis. I’m sure if you flicked your tongue along one of the little red beans then—”

“And that’s how you play poker!” Kek clamped his hand over Bakura’s mouth. “Isn’t this a fun, family-friendly game?” 

“Oh yeah. I definitely think of wholesome entertainment when I think _poker_.” Mokuba snorted. 

“No Shadow Magic or murder.” Kek shrugged, releasing Bakura. 

"You have a point." 

They continued to play, with Rishid and Ryou winning respectively. Mokuba stayed for two more games, refusing to quit until ey won. Satisfied, ey escaped to eir personal corner and re-focused on the duel monster cards. Isis slipped her chair far enough away to get her own hand, and the rest of them started another round. Isis picked up, pretty quickly, that Ryou always knew if Bakura was bluffing or not, and followed his lead whenever Bakura was deciding bets. She herself had a wonderful poker face and Mai realized—with a mix of shock and admiration—she couldn’t read Isis if Isis didn’t want to be read. Isis managed to win a few games before Mai announced a final round since she had to slink back to her apartment on the other end of town. 

They all tossed in an orange bean for the ante, and bet high afterward. By the showdown, it looked like Bakura and Kek were going to win yet again, but Isis spread her hand along the table with a cheshire cat’s grin on her face. 

“Unlike most people at this table, I know how to attract the ladies." Isis tapped the four queen cards. "I believe I win, yes?” 

“Yes.” Mai grabbed one of the red jelly beans and popped it into Isis’s mouth as a reward for her victory. 


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Y'know what, I'm stress and just want to get this posted quicker so I don't have to worry about it anymore, so here. Have a post a few days early, and I'll try to post another chapter this weekend if I can get it edited :)

The next night it took Mai three tries to get her key into the doorknob and both of them into the apartment. They slung their arms around their shoulders, laughing so hard they gasped for breath. Mai and Isis half stumbled, half danced into the living room and crashed onto the futon together. 

“I had so much fun tonight. I’ve never had sake bombs.” Isis tugged at Mai’s shoulders, yanking Mai closer to whisper in Mai’s ear—though her voice was too loud for it to be an actual whisper. “They taste awful.” 

“But are you not drunk?” Mai realized she lay on top of Isis, but she couldn’t move even if she wanted to—thought she didn’t want to—because Isis wouldn’t let go. 

“Dang. I am drunk!” Isis shouted. “You’re s’bad! I’ve never been drunk before.” 

“Have you not?” Mai asked, she couldn’t see this being true. 

“Historical conventions don’t count.” Isis pressed a finger to her lips. 

“Just like Vegas.” Mai pressed her forehead against Isis’s shoulder and laughed. 

“We’re going to play Nintendo, right?” Isis brushed her hair away from her face, but the jet-black strands fell over her eyes again. 

“Anything you want, babe.” Mai tucked the hair around the curve of Isis’s ear so they wouldn’t tickle her face. 

“I want…” Isis’s face wrinkle. “To take off this miserable bra. It’s itchy.” 

“Yeah, fuck bras!” Mai cheered. 

Mai straightened so she straddled Isis instead of lay on her. Reaching back, Mai unhooked her bra and tugged it from under her top. She flung the black lace brazier across the room, but it only traveled about a meter before flopping to the ground. Isis wiggled her arms behind her, whimpering. 

“How do you...Mai, I can’t reach.” 

“I gotcha. Don’t worry.” Mai freed Isis from the underwire torture device and helped Isis untangle from it. 

“Wow. You’re really good at that.” 

“I ain’t just a talented duelist—I’m a talented everything.” Mai tossed Isis’s bra near her own. “Oooo, your nipples are poking through your dress...s’hot.” 

“So are yours.” Isis reached up and poked one of the nubs jutting from Mai’s top. 

Mai giggled hard enough that she rolled onto the ground—which made her laugh harder. Already on the floor, she decided to crawl to the TV and set up the game. She clamped her teeth down on the control pad cord so she could move on all fours and bring it to Isis. 

“Oh no, I can’t push the buttons. You play; I’ll watch.” Isis shook her head, pushing the control pad at Mai. 

“You can push buttons.” Mai grabbed Isis’s pointer finger and had it jab at the A and B buttons. 

“But the monsters will attack me. I’d rather you fight them. I just want to see the story.” Isis pouted. 

“Okay.” Mai crawled onto the futon and continued from their last save. Fortunately, she’d played enough that being drunk didn’t hurt her game play...much. 

“Hmm...I like this.” Isis snuggled beside Mai, wrapping her arms around Mai as they played. 

“You can stay here forever if you want to.” Mai rested her cheek on the crown of Isis’s head. 

“That’s so sweet.” Isis cooed. “But…you only have one bed.” 

“We could...share it.” 

“This is absolutely no other possible solution to this problem.” Isis giggled. 

“None whatsoever.” 

They played for a few hours. After they began to sober, Isis made tea while Mai dealt with one of the dungeons. They drank and continued playing while talking about everything from dueling, to shoes, to astronomy. Isis took over for about an hour, but then handed the control pad to Mai and narrated the dialogue boxes. On their way to Angkor Wat, their party spent the night in an “abandoned village” and was ambushed by the villagers who’d been hiding. 

“This is neither an accurate nor flattering representation of indiginous tribes.” Isis sat up, her attention focused on the game again. “Also, I’m fairly confident they intend to eat us.” 

“You should probably close your eyes for this part.” Mai winced. She was sober enough to now remember where they were in the storyline.

“Why? What’s going to—what’s Hamlet doing? Mai, don’t tell me—oh no!” Isis hid her face behind her hands as the baby pig jumped into the fire. 

“Look, it’s okay. The spirit of Will’s mother said Hamlet chose to be food to save the village.” 

“How is that okay?” Isis peeked between her fingers but still hid her face. “This is awful.” 

“But now they’re friends with the villagers,” Mai offered in consolation. 

“How could they let this happen in a game? I’m horribly sober now.” Isis slumped against the cushions as Mai travelled to Angkor Wat.

“Sorry. I know you’re a vegetarian. Maybe this wasn’t the best game to pick,” Mai apologized. 

“I still love the game. It has so many historical sites despite being fiction. It’s probably the best game you could have chosen for me—but how dare they kill Hamlet.” 

“I know. Well, the play was a tragedy, so it makes sense. This is my third playthrough, so the shock value’s gone.” 

“I’m never going to recover from this, and those monsters with the shooting heads are annoying.” Isis nestled close to Mai again, her loose hair scattered down her side. 

“Ugh, so are the flies. Everything about this temple is pissing me off.” 

“Maybe it’s time to save and quit. It’s getting late,” Isis said. 

“Tired?” Mai asked. “Did you want to watch a movie?” 

“No.” Isis tilted her face, smiling. 

“Oh.” Mai flushed. 

“It’d be too much trouble to make up the futon. Why don’t you show me your bed?” 

“The bed. My bed.” Mai wasn’t drunk anymore, but she was nervous as fuck. 

“The Mai bed.” Isis laughed. “The one bed we’re forced to share due to unforeseeable circumstances out of our control.” 

“I thought you were joking.” Mai giggled, breathless. 

“Oh no, ask anyone. I’m a very serious person.” Isis said the words with such a grave expression that Mai would have sworn Isis was being sincere if she didn’t know better. 

“Okay. Um. Room’s a little messy. Tournament and all that, but uh…yeah. The bed isn’t made.” 

“You can sleep on the futon if you want.” Isis stood, realizing Mai was going to sit there and ramble all night long if Isis didn’t take the lead. “But I’m going to undress and spread out on your bed. I would be happy if you joined me.” Isis strolled into the room, her dress swishing around her as she walked. 

Her ass, her ass was enough to prove intelligent design. Mai’s jaw dropped as it struck her that she was about to see all of Isis’s robust curves without clothes on. She jumped up and rushed after Isis who—true to her word—was already lifting the dress up over her head. Mai sucked in a breath and held it, trying to collect herself. 

Mentally scolding herself for being an awkward mess, Mai marched behind Isis and helped tug Isis free of the dress. She turned Isis around and caressed her cheek. Isis smiled, holding Mai’s hand and kissing the palm. They leaned in at the same time, moulding their lips together. Mai fumbled for the fly of her shorts and wiggled out of them while trying not to break their kiss. Isis sat on the bed, her body a glorious contrast to the rumpled sheets. Tossing her shirt aside, Mai crawled onto the bed and eased Isis to the mattress. 

Their skin brushed together and Mai shuddered. Isis hitched higher, pressing her mons venus against Mai’s body. Mai held Isis’s face as they kissed and experimented with rolling their hips together. Mai mewled when Isis reached up and twisted one of her nipples. She raised her head, gasping for air. Isis used the opportunity to latch her lips against Mai’s neck. Their fingers danced along their bodies. Mai rocked her hips, setting up a gentle rhythm. Isis hummed, rearranging her legs so their bodies could grind closer together. 

Dragging her kisses lower, Isis reached Mai’s breasts and decorated them with the last traces of her lipstick. She sucked at Mai’s nipple and Mai arched her chest. Her desire growing hot and demanding, Mai adjusted so she could slip her hand between Isis’s legs. Isis was slick and Mai’s touch glided along Isis’s lips. Isis moaned. Her face twisted into a cute, concentrated knot. Mai kissed the wrinkles on Isis’s brow as she rolled the tip of her finger around Isis’s clit and then stroked just below her hood. 

“_Ah!_” Isis’s mouth opened wide as she called out. 

Mai purred in her ear, kissing the shell of her ear and sucking on her earlobe. Isis dug her fingers into Mai’s shoulders, bracing herself as she hitched into Mai’s touch. Mai kept her touches light until Isis’s jerking grew untamed. Then Mai added pressure until Isis’s soft cries were wanton and needy. Bucking against Mai’s touch, sweat trickled down Isis’s breasts. Her cries grew louder, faster. Isis’s body stiffened; she shuddered. With a heavy sigh, Isis sank into the bed. 

Mai sucked her fingers as she straddled Isis’s hips. Isis’s eyes fluttered open. She openly stared at Mai. Mai giggled and combed her fingers through her hair, sticking out her chest and showing off her body for Isis to admire. Isis reached up and dragged her fingers down Mai’s belly and thighs. After several sweeps, her fingers curved their way toward Mai’s lips. Isis parted Mai’s folds, exposing her swollen clit. With the pad of her thumb, Isis teased Mai. Moaning, Mai leaned backward. She braced her hands on Isis’s thighs as she hitched. 

“Do you have any toys?” Isis asked. 

“Hmm? Oh...yeah.” Mai shook herself out of her own thoughts and grabbed the first toy in her top drawer—a small bullet vibe. 

Isis clicked the button to turn on the metallic blue vibe. Licking the tip, she eased it up and down Mai’s slit, teasing around her clitoris before lowering down again. Mai grunted, aroused and eager to come. Isis caught onto Mai’s verbal cue and continued to circle Mai’s clit. Mai raised and lowered her hips, getting all she could from the sensation. She squeezed her muscles tightly, riding out a small wave of euphoria before continuing to move her hips. Isis clicked the button a second time, intensifying the vibrations. 

“Oh damn,” Mai gasped.

She grabbed Isis’s breasts and kneaded them as she pushed against the toy. Mai’s breathing quickened, the small waves of pleasure began to grow stronger. Whimpering, Mai’s movements became quick and shallow. Her screams grew loud as the pleasure swelled within her, and she came with a _fuck_ ringing into the room. After the needful rush of orgasm swept through her, she rolled beside Isis, chest heaving as she caught her breath. 

“Damn,” Mai repeated. 

“Sleepy,” Isis murmurred as she coilded her arms around Mai and pressed against Mai’s side. 

“Yeah,” Mai agreed. “Don’t make breakfast in the morning. I’ll take you out for pastries.” 

Isis hummed in appreciation, and soon they were both snoring lightly in each other’s arms. 

***

Mai woke the next morning with her teeth fuzzy from drinking the night before. She kissed Isis’s temple, and untangled herself from the nest of limbs and sheets before stumbling to the bathroom. She showered and brushed her teeth and by the time she returned to her bedroom with a towel wrapped around her, she saw Isis blinking at the ceiling and staring at the sunbeams slipping through the blinds. 

“Morning, shug.” Mai yawned, flipping through her clothes. 

“Do I have to duel today?” Isis stretched and flexed, looking like a goddess as she woke. “I want to be lazy and read in bed until noon.” 

“You probably could. We’re getting close to the end now. Fewer duels with higher stakes.” 

“But you promised me pastries.” Isis grinned. 

“I’d bring them to you.” Mai sat on the bed next to Isis, slipping her arms around her and kissing her. 

“I’d miss you while you were gone.” Isis tugged at a strand of Mai’s hair before crawling out of bed. “Hope you saved me some hot water.” 

“Nope. Used it all.” Mai winked. “Do you need a towel?” 

“I remember where they are, thank you.” Isis strolled to the bathroom. 

When she left, Mai plopped down onto the bed, buried her face into one of her pillows, and muffled a small shriek. She’d spent the night with Isis Ishtar and she was going out of her mind. Mai couldn’t remember ever being this excited in her life before—except maybe that one time Sephora had that BOGO sale—but this was better than buy one get one free make-up. Mai kicked her feet, and gave herself a solid minute to freak out before shimmying into a pair of cut-off denim shorts and a tight-fitting tie-dyed tank top. Mai highlighted and contoured her cheeks and made up her eyes, listening to Isis blow dry her hair in the bathroom. 

It was a casual, _normal_ experience, which was the beauty of it. After all the excitement of Pegasus’s Island and Battle City, Mai was enjoying a tournament where the theatrical _climax_ was a literal and not a dark magical one. Isis returned in a long, strapless dress. Mai walked past her and couldn’t resist dotting Isis’s shoulders with a few kisses before gathering everything she’d need for the day. 

“Ready?” 

Isis nodded. They walked two blocks to the bakery and ordered iced croissants and coffee. 

“Want to make a bet?” Isis asked in her unassuming way. 

“Careful betting against me, love. I worked in a casino.” Mai licked icing off of her lips. 

“This bet won’t have any real losers.” Isis sipped her coffee and scrolled through the news on her phone. 

“Okay, what are we betting on?” Mai asked. 

“First person to find the center piece gets to tie the loser to the bed.” 

Mai choked. Isis jumped to her feet and smacked Mai’s back until she was breathing again—and laughing her ass off as she wiped up a splash of spilled coffee with a napkin. 

“Oh wow, you threw that right out there during breakfast and everything.” Mai was careful dabbing a tear out of her eye as to not smudge her mascara. “You’re such a treat.” 

Isis returned to her seat, offering a demure smile instead of an apology. Mai propped her chin in her hand, gazing at Isis from across the table and wondering what god fucked up and gave Mai something so amazing. 

“And of course I’m taking that bet. I have all the corner pieces, which are almost as rare. It’s only a matter of time before someone with a center-piece challenges me to nab one of them, so don't stay out too late tonight, because I’ll be waiting in your hotel room with a pair of fuzzy handcuffs.” 

“Then I’ll make sure I’m on time.” Isis stood and kissed Mai’s cheek. “I’ll see you tonight.” 

“Can’t wait,” Mai said, and it was true. 


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh... my...god... it's been some sort of week. Still, as of yesterday I now have a new nephew, and I still managed to edit another chapter, so huzah!

By the end of the day, Mai had _every single piece_ except the one she wanted. Despite all her big talk about showing up on time, it was well after sunset when Mai admitted defeat and took a cab to Isis’s hotel room. With the semi-finals almost at hand, traffic had returned to its usual rhythm and it wasn’t long before Isis’s hotel loomed ahead. Mai wasn’t upset about the bet. Like Isis said, their side game had no losers, but if everyone who had a centerpiece had the other 98 fragments as well—it meant Mai wasn’t going to the semi-finals. 

She didn’t see Isis waiting outside, but didn’t expect to as late as it was. Mai decided to take the elevator up to Isis’s suite and knock on the door. The elevator ride was long and boring without Isis to talk to. As soon as the doors opened, Mai rushed to the penthouse, heart already thumping at the thought of seeing Isis smile when she greeted Mai. 

Rishid answered instead. “Hello Mai, come in.” 

“How’s the tournament going for you?” Mai asked to mask her disappointment. 

“Well, thank you. I’ve collected all the pieces I need.” 

“That’s good.” Mai sighed. “I couldn’t find a center, so I guess I’ll be watching the finals from the stands this year.” 

“That’s too bad.” Malik flicked his wrist, brandishing two centers. 

“How the hell did you get two?” Mai’s mouth dropped. 

“Talent.” Malik hummed. 

“Well, grab your duel disk, because I want one.” 

“Ha! No way. The extra one is for Bakura.” Malik slipped them back into his pocket. 

“Really?” Bakura jerked his head up from the manga he was reading in Ryou’s lap. 

“Yeah.” Malik shrugged. “Since Isis kicked your ass on the first day, I felt sort of bad.”

“_Uh-oh_,” Kek muttered beneath his breath. 

“Damn, that’s...really sweet, Malik.” Bakura blushed. 

“Don’t say I never gave you anything.” Malik grinned. “Hey, speaking of my sister, where is she? I thought she was with you, Mai.”

“She’s not back yet? We were going to meet here after our duels.” Mai looked around the room, noticing Isis wasn’t sitting in any of the chairs or on the sofa with the others. 

“I’m sure she’s caught up in a game,” Rishid said. “I had a game last four hours today, it was awful.” 

“Is that much longer than a typical duel?” Kek chuckled, sitting on Ryou’s other side and playing on his phone. 

“You’re probably right, Rishid. I’m sure she’ll text as soon as she’s on her way home.” Malik waved the extra puzzle fragment toward Bakura. “Hurry up and grab this before I change my mind.” 

“Um…” Bakura wore a sheepish look and Kek was cackling loudly. 

“Bakura, what did you do?” Malik’s brow wrinkled as he stared at them. 

“Yeah...I kinda, sorta destroyed all my other pieces.” 

“You what?” Malik’s jaw dropped. “Why?” 

“I tried to duel Yugi for his center piece and lost my handle...then I dueled Atem and lost a corner. And _then_ I assembled what was left and shoved it in a fucking microwave. I was going to record the bitch exploding! But that really only works on Seto’s stupid gold-rimmed china, but not a solid gold puzzle, so Kek and I snuck to the train station and and spent the entire day watching them get flattened one at a time."

Bakura crawled out of Ryou’s lap and grabbed a backpack. He dumped out the contents and 90-something bits of flattened gold sank to the carpet. Kek’s laughter echoed all around them. 

“It was great! You should have been there! I’m going to do the same to mine after the tournament!” Kek held his stomach. “I’m going to buy a Dark Magician action figure and tie him up with it and watch him splat against the rails too!” 

“Something’s wrong with you two.” Malik rubbed the bridge of his nose.

“So...Malik…” Mai batted her eyelashes. 

“Fuck! Fine. Let me get my duel disk.” Malik marched off to one of the back rooms. “But this better not be a long duel. I went to Lush today and I have a bubble bar I want to use in the tub.” 

“That’s valid.” Mai nodded as she shuffled her cards. “I won’t hold back.” 

They stood on opposite sides of the hotel room. Malik managed to get an early lead by playing Necrovalley on his second turn, but Mai managed to get more harpies onto the field and keep them out, while Malik kept having to discard extra cards from his hand. Fifteen minutes later, they were both tied at 500 LP. 

The door swung open next to Mai and Isis stepped into the room. “Oh, I didn’t expect to walk into a game.” 

“Malik’s hogging all the center pieces.” Mai frowned at her hand, planning her next attack. 

“I won them both fairly.” Malik set a card face down. 

It could have been a trap, but fortune favored the bold, so Mai attacked with her Harpie’s Pet Dragon. The card turned out to be a bluff and Malik’s LP dropped to 0. He rolled his eyes, shooting Bakura a sharp look as if it were his fault. 

“Ahem.” Mai held out her hand. 

“Catch.” He tossed the chunk of gold to Mai. 

She caught it and flashed it at Isis who reached into her messenger bag slung over her shoulder and pulled out a matching copy. 

“I won mine this morning.” 

“Well, damn. Guess you win the bet.” Mai winked. 

“Bet? When did you start gambling?” Malik frowned. 

“When I flew to Domino City years ago and offered Seto Obelisk in order to set up a card tournament in hopes of luring you to it.” Isis walked to the kitchen. “Mai, are you hungry? I didn’t have a chance to eat yet.” 

“Ouch.” Bakura snickered. Malik stood in place with his mouth dragging the floor. 

“I think Mai’s a bad influence on you,” Malik said.

“I’ve been saying that about you and Bakura for years now,” Isis have a single snort of laughter with her response. 

“I like the new Isis.” Kek flashed her a thumbs up. 

“I don’t notice any difference.” Rishid shook his head. “Perhaps it’s your hearing that’s changed, brother.” 

Malik narrowed his gaze, spun, and strolled out of the room. “About that bath…” 

“Is he upset, Bakura? I can never really tell.” Isis frowned as she watched him go. 

“Nah.” Bakura sat on the floor and scooped up on his flattened treasure into its bag. 

“Are you sure?” 

“It’s probably good for him to realize you’re a regular person and not…” Ryou fished for words. 

“Sister-Bot-3000,” Bakura suggested. 

“I was going to say a saint, but yeah.” Ryou shrugged. 

“He’ll be fine,” Rishid reassured her. 

“So is everyone in the semi-finals now?” Isis set the small table with two plates of pita bread, baba ganoush, and a chopped salad of cucumbers, tomato, and feta. Mai took her cue to sit at the opposite end of the table while Isis fetched the tea. 

“Everyone but Bakura.” Ryou giggled. 

“I have no regrets.” He slung the bag over his shoulder. “I think I’m going to turn in early. I’ll see you losers later.” 

Ryou and Kek jumped up from the couch at the same time. 

“I agree with Bakura. Dueling is exhausting. An early bed time seems best.” Ryou shrugged. 

“It’s only 8 PM.” Isis frowned. 

“Yeah, but it feels more like 9:30.” Rishid grinned. “I think I’m going to turn in as well. I hope everyone has a pleasant evening.” 

"Night Mai. Night Isis." Kek and Ryou waved before disappearing.

“Rishid, don’t leave. Ryou and Kek you both get back here. Why are you jerks running away?” Isis scowled at them.

"Ha! I don't even listen to Malik. I'm not about to start listening to other Ishtars." Bakura shot Isis with his finger before vanishing with the others.

"This is so unnecessary." Isis picked at her salad as they sat alone.

"I think it's sweet, they're trying to play wing man for you. Wing men? Wing posse." 

"I think I'm handling myself rather well without their assistance." Isis snorted.

"You were handling me _very well_ last night." Mai shoved a chunk of pita bread into her mouth. 

Isis's expression lit up. "Which reminds me. Our bet. Would you like to spend the night, Mai?" 

She didn't have clothes or anything else she needed, but surely the hotel sold toothbrushes, and it wouldn't be her first tournament where she tromped around in the same outfit for more than a day. Besides, there was no way in hell she was going to turn Isis down, bug-out bag be damned. 

"I need a toothbrush," Mai said.

"I always pack an unopened spare." Isis smiled.

"Well then…" Mai leaned back in her seat. "I'll try not to call out and embarrass us." 

"Oh, they owe me. All of them owe me. I've heard some _bizzare _things." 

"Okay, but Rishid doesn't deserve that." 

"He owes me too. Don't let him fool you. You know what they say about the quiet ones." 

“The quiet ones, like you?” Mai grinned. 

“I’m not as bad as Rishid.” 

"I'll need those stories one day, but for tonight, let's finish dinner so we can get to dessert." 

"You're right." Isis sipped her tea between bites. When they finished, Isis showed Mai her private room. 

"Damn, this suite is bigger than my apartment." Mai glanced around the full bedroom complete with its own bathroom. 

Isis went to each corner, clicking switches. Ambient lightning glowed against the walls. The soft white light gave Isis's hair a bright sheen. She reached into her messenger bag.

"I was dueling in one of the rougher neighborhoods today and saw a novelty store and decided to buy these." 

Isis pulled out two pair of neon pink fuzzy handcuffs. Silver sparkles flashed in the light. They were the gaudiest, tackiest things Mai had ever seen in junction with Isis—and she fucking loved it. Mai jumped on in the king sized bed and kicked off her shorts.

"This is going to be fun." 

"I've never done anything like this before." Isis blushed in the dim light. "But you strike me as a person who likes adventure, so I thought it'd be my best opportunity to try something different." 

"I'll try almost anything twice." Mai winked.

"Twice instead of once?" Isis asked.

"You know, to make sure." Mai shrugged out of her shirt. She glanced behind her. "Headboard's solid wood. How are we going to do this?" 

"Hmm…" Isis pursed her lips together. "The lamps on the nightstand are bolted down. They should suffice."

"Oh, so Bakura's been here before?" Mai asked. "Is that why they bolted everything down?" 

They laughed as Isis locked one cuff around each lamp and each one of Mai's wrists.

"How does it feel?" Isis tugged on the chain.

"Fine." Mai shrugged, laying on her back because there wasn't enough slack in the cuffs to sit. 

"Are your arms comfortable? I'd like to take my time with this experiment." 

"After holding up my arms for dueling all day long, this is actually relaxing," Mai said. 

"Tell me if you get uncomfortable." Isis kissed Mai.

"I will," Mai whispered against Isis's lips.

She had no intention of complaining any time soon. Mai's stomach flipped from nervous excitement as she waited for Isis to truly start. Isis pulled a few more items from her bag, but Mai couldn't see them. Next, she turned on a nature track of ocean waves.

"I usually sleep to this. The sound of the water is comforting. Do you mind?" 

"Not at all." Mai shook her head.

Mai couldn't imagine living beneath the desert half her life. It was no wonder Isis enjoyed the sound of ocean waves and wind chimes. It wasn't bad for the mood either, and any sound would help drown out the moaning Mai knew she wouldn't be able to prevent. 

Isis slipped out of her dress. Her movements were so quiet and fluid that Mai wouldn't know Isis was there if Mai wasn't looking at her. Isis crawled over Mai, her arms and legs framing Mai's body. At first she only stared, eyes darting from left to right as she studied Mai. 

Mai gazed at Isis in return, noting every detail. How dark brown Isis's nipples were. The curve of her arms. The cute mole near the left side of Isis's outer lips. Mai wanted to kiss it, but she was cuffed to the bed, so she could enjoy enjoy the view.

Isis claimed Mai's lips. It was more soft and luxurious than the silk sheets below them. The kiss melted into several. Unable to move her arms, Mai wrapped a leg around Isis to keep their bodies close. 

Time dissolved as their tongues swirled together. Mai's lips burned with friction, but she didn't want to stop. Isis finally dropped to Mai's neck, sucking and driving Mai wild with impatience. The brush of Isis's fingertips against Mai's nipples surprised her and she groaned. 

"Isis…"

"How are your arms?" 

"Good—don't stop." 

"Do you want me to kiss you here?" Isis flicked Mai's nipple.

"Yes," Mai gasped.

Isis lowered her mouth and sucked. Mai hitched up, but Isis kept her body out of reach. Isis trailed her finger along the bottom curve of Mai's breast.

"What about here?" 

"Yes," Mai groaned. 

Isis alternated between licks and kisses before dragging her fingertip down Mai's belly.

"And here?"

"God yes," Mai hissed, refraining from screaming. 

The closer Isis's mouth drew to Mai's cunt, the more Mai wanted it. She hitched again, calling attention to below her hips as Isis lingered near Mai's navel. By the time Isis brushed her thumb along Mai's hood, Mai was ready to scream.

"Please. Please. Baby. I need your mouth on me." Mai squirmed. 

The light flashed in Isis's eyes. She gave Mai a hungry stare before lowering down. Isis parted Mai's lips and graced Mai with that first, covetous lick. Mai bit the inside of her cheek to keep from screaming. She squirmed as Isis did some godly things with her tongue. Mai's thighs quivered. She sucked in a hissing breath between clenched teeth. Isis slipped a long, delicate finger into Mai's cunt. She pressed deeply and kneeded her fingertip against Mai. 

"Oh fuck. Fucking goddamn shit!" Mai growled making the least amount of sound possible. She couldn't even hide her face in a pillow because she was locked into place. Mai bucked against Isis's rolling licks. "Fuck. Fuck. Fuck." 

Isis continued to massage Mai. Her touches sent jolts from Mai’s clit to the tips of her nipples. Isis added a second finger, speeding up her thrusts, and Mai was done for.

"Oh God. Oh God. Isis. Oh God. Yes..._ahh—ahh—_" Mai tossed her head back. "_Nnngghhh!_" 

With a muffledsqueal she shuddered, holding onto the pleasure for as long as she could before the muscles in her thighs gave out.

"You taste good," Isis whispered between Mai's legs. 

Isis licked her lips and sucked on her fingers before grabbing something from the nightstand and straddling Mai.

"Now watch." 

In her hand, Isis held some sort of sex toy Mai had never seen before. It had a handle and a nozzle. The tip of the toy narrowed, and Isis fitted it over her clitoris. Pressing a button, the toy hummed, and Isis's eyes fluttered shut. 

"Is that thing sucking you off?" Mai must have been dueling too much if they were inventing new toys she didn't know about. She clearly needed to go shopping after the tournament. 

"It's more like direct vibrations, but…" a small groan escaped her. 

"Nice of you to give me a front row seat to the show." Mai hitched her hips, lifting Isis a little before settling into the mattress.

Her fingers itched to grab Isis's hips. Her mouth watered at the thought of lapping her tongue against Isis's nipples, but she could only lay, and watch, and occasionally thrust upward to tease Isis.

Isis's brow wrinkled the way it had the other night. She pursed her lips, focusing on her pleasure and ignoring the rest of the world—except for Mai's bucking which pulled soft grunts from Isis. Each time Mai raised her body, Isis's weight pushed against Mai's cunt. Between the pressure, and watching Isis fuck herself, Mai's desire returned as hot and greedy as before. 

Mai's rolling hip movements grew smaller and more consistent. She savored every press against Isis's body. Isis shifted her own hips, rubbing their pussies together as the toy hummed against her clitoris. Isis sucked in a breath, and the sound went straight to Mai's clit. 

"That's right, sugar. You’re so sexy when you play with yourself," Mai cooed, her hips still moving. 

"Mai." Isis braced her hand on Mai's belly so she could grind more quickly against Mai while still working the vibrator against herself. 

"Mmm-hmmm." 

"Mai." 

"Yes darling. That's right." 

Isis muffled a cry. Her face scrunched tighter than before. Her long, dark hair spilled over her shoulders as she shrugged with the final clench of orgasm. Quivering, Isis eased the toy away from her sensitive clit as she rode out the last waves of pleasure. Isis sighed, face raised toward the ceiling. She turned off the clitoral massager and set it aside. 

"Marvelous." Mai winked.

"How are your wrists?" Isis leaned forward to check the fuzzy cuffs.

"No problems here, but I'm aching to touch you." 

"Hmm...am I done torturing you for tonight?" Isis's face glowed in the light, skin flushed from her climax. 

"For tonight? Are you planning more nights of torture for me?" Mai grinned.

Isis tugged on both the chains connecting the cuffs to the nightstand. She leaned to Mai's ear and whispered.

"I see many,_ many, _more nights together in our future. Some with the handcuffs and some without." 

"Glad to hear it." Mai nuzzled against Isis's copper toned shoulder. 

"Okay, you've convinced me to free you." Isis giggled as she clicked the safety latches off of the toy cuffs.

"What a generous warden you are." Mai sat up, pulling Isis into her lap. "I should thank you properly." 

Mai laced her fingers into Isis's thick hair. She brushed her nose along Isis's cheek, and used her bottom lip to tease the corners of Isis's mouth. Isis cooed, arching into the attention. Mai hugged their bodies closer together. The feeling of Isis's breasts pressed against Mai's sent a tingle of desire coursing through her. 

Isis shoved Mai against the mattress, deepening each kiss. Fisting Mai's hair, Isis rolled her hips. Both soaking wet, they moved against each other easily as Isis sped her movements. Mai moaned. Their pressed lips muffled the sound. She fumbled for Isis's ass, squeezing, massaging, and pushing Isis to slam harder against Mai. Tension seized Mai's body as a small shudder raced through her. Mai gasped for breath. She tightened her pelvic muscles and another, stronger, shudder trilled up her spine and tightened her nipples.

All other sounds and sensations were shoved away as Mai focused on how close she was to coming. The shift of the bedding, their heavy breaths, the sweet, sweet pressure grinding against her pussy, nothing else mattered to Mai than the sensations in and around her as her body grew taunt and a final, raging shudder consumed her. Isis continued to rock, bowing her back to place all her weight between her mons Venus and her clit. Isis opened her mouth in a silent scream. Her movements slowed until she eased bedside Mai.

"Gracious," Isis released a sigh. 

"You can say that again." Mai bumped their shoulders together. "Man, if someone told me this was how I was going to spend my next tournament, I would have laughed." 

"I wouldn't, because I saw this—after Seto defeated me in Battle City, but before I gave my Tauk to the Pharaoh." 

"You what?" Mai jerked to a sitting postion. "You saw us in bed together?" 

"I saw myself offering you my extra shoes, and I saw a brief flash of you in pink, fuzzy handcuffs." Isis stared at the cuff hanging from the nightstand next to her.

"You should have told me sooner. We could have skipped all those years in between and gone right for the good parts." Mai held her stomach as she laughed. 

"Oh yes. I could have walked up to the girl I'd been convincing myself only looked so fascinatingly beautiful because I wasn't accustomed to the fashion of _surface women_—since I wasn't ready to handle the concept of being physically attracted to women back then—and said, 'Hello, I know my brother recently put you in a coma by playing an evil, magical card game, but you see, my Millennium Necklace allows me to see the future, and apparently I'm gay. By the way, are you into handcuffs?'" 

"Oh my God." Mai had already been laughing, but Isis' rant had Mai rolling to her side. "You're right. I would have thought you were bonkers, but damn, that would have been hilarious." 

"It was easier to wait until the time was right." Isis shrugged. 

"I'm glad you told me, though." Mai whipped a laugh tear from her eye. "No wonder you didn't seem nervous when you flirted."

"I'm nervous, I'm simply adept at hiding anything I don't want people to see." 

"Well, please don't hide anything from me." Mai rested her hand on Isis's thigh.

"Sometimes it's a reflex I can't control, but I promise to try." Isis stole a kiss, linking their arms.

"Anything else your Necklace tell you? Do we live happily ever after in a condo in Malibu?" 

"I saw so much after Seto broke with destiny and summoned his Blue Eyes instead of Obelisk. It's hard to remember most of it." Isis squeezed Mai's hand. "And I'm not sure about Malibu, but I'm looking forward to us spending a lot of time with each other after the tournament is over."

***

The next morning, Mai showered and primped for the day. The entire time she heard the others fighting over everything imaginable. From shampoo, to hair dryer outlets, to mirror space, Mai thought it was a good thing they all managed to seduce Seto Kaiba because those idiots needed a mansion full of bathrooms not to kill each other.

By the time she wandered into the main area, Ryou and Bakura were already in the kitchen arguing about breakfast. Rishid drank coffee at the table, and Isis assembled the puzzle with the help of the video Yugi leaked onto the internet before the tournament started. 

"Morning." Mai say beside her, kissing her cheek.

"Good morning," Isis murmured, focused on fitting all the gold fragments together. 

"Bakura, I told you I'll make an omelette for you after I finish all the vegetarian ones. I don't want any of the pork drippings cross-contaminating the pan." Ryou shooed Bakura away.

"But I'm hungry now." 

"Snack on some grapefruit." 

"That's not made out of meat," Bakura whined.

"Bakura, I swear to Cthulhu, if you don't get that ham away from my skillet, I will shove it down your throat." 

"I thought you were going to say up my ass." Bakura cackled.

"Gods, can't you tone it down until I've had a cup of coffee or two?" Malik walked into the main area, already rubbing his temples. Bakura grinned when he saw Malik enter the room.

"Hey, Malik. Hey, Malik. Hey Malik—" 

"What?" Malik snapped.

"To be breakfast? Or not to be breakfast? That is the question." Bakura held up a slice of thickly cut ham. "Get it? It's _Ham_let!" 

Isis reached out with one hand, grabbed a vase, and hurled it at Bakura's head. Bakura yelped and ducked. The glass shattered against the opposite wall.

"Malik please," Ryou called from the kitchen. "No more throwing vases at Bakura's head. We've talked about this." 

"It wasn't me!" 

"Apparently, Isis really hates Shakespeare—or me—probably both." Bakura peeked over the counter.

"I'm—I'm sorry. That was inappropriate." Isis hid her face in her hands. 

"Isis, are you okay?" Rishid asked.

"It's my fault." Mai rubbed circles into Isis's upper back. "We've been playing Illusions of Gaia." 

"Oooooh," Ryou and Bakura said in union.

“That makes sense.” Ryou nodded, sympathetic. 

"It was no excuse. Forgive me, everyone." 

Ryou handed Bakura a plate, and he walked it over to the sofa.

"This one's vegetarian, so please don't stab me." Bakura snickered.

Isis raised her head, blinking at the plate. "I'm sorry." 

"Oh please, if I had 50 yen every time an Ishtar threw something at my head, I could buy out Kaiba Corp." 

"No excuse," Isis muttered, more to herself than anyone else. 

"How does it taste?" Ryou asked from the kitchen in an attempt to change the subject.

"Wonderful. Thank you, Ryou. I could have prepared breakfast this morning," Isis said.

"I thought you might be tired this morning." Ryou smiled. "Want one, Mai?" 

"Sure. The semi finals won't be until this evening, right? We have time for breakfast." 

"What the hell did I miss?" Kek was last to join them. "Sounded like Malik tossed another lamp at Bakura." 

"It wasn't me!" Malik crossed his arms over his chest. "I haven't thrown anything at Bakura in weeks." 

"Malik, it's been two days," Rishid piped up from his corner.

"Bakura, please give this omelet to Rishid, and these two to Malik and Kek."

"Why am I playing waitress?" Bakura scowled.

"Because you didn't leave the kitchen when I told you to." 

Bakura grumbled under his breath but passed the plates to their proper owners. 

"Thank you, Bakura!" Ryou blew him a kiss.

Isis set her plate down. "I've almost…here!" 

She clicked the final puzzle piece into place, and it glowed. A light projected from the Eye of Wadjet, revealing a map. 

"Oh good! It works! Ryou cheered. "I helped Seto design the circuits hidden in each piece. I’m really proud of the work we did." 

"Yeah, you two came to bed late every night for two weeks." Kek pouted. 

"Where is it directing us?" Mai asked.

"Looks like we have to go to a mountain outside of the Domino City limits." 

"Knowing Seto, I'm sure he carved a skull into the mountainside and turned it into a secret dueling lair," Rishid said. 

"I bet 5,000 yen Rishid just called it." Bakura handed Mai the first of the ham omelettes. 

"No one's dumb enough to take that bet." Malik gathered up the first empty plates and carried them to the dishwasher while the others ate. 

"In any case, we'll find out tonight." Kek shrugged. "It'll be nice to see him after a week." 

"Speak for yourself." Malik laughed. "You know he'll still be on his bullshit and a complete headache to deal with." 

"Mmm…saying you don't miss him at all?" Kek raised an eyebrow.

"Didn't say _that_, exactly." Malik grinned, and it was obvious he _did _miss Seto as much as the others did.

A knock on the door interrupted them. Kek answered it, high-fiving Mokuba as ey stepped inside. Mokuba wore a smart business suit with a pencil skirt. Mai knew eir mind was as hyper focused in the upcoming finals as eir brother's, so she didn’t bother em with small talk. 

"Would you like an omelette, Moki?" Ryou called from the kitchen.

"No thank you. I've eaten. I just thought you might want to ride together to the finals in the limo." 

"I'm not leaving until I get my damn omelette," Bakura said.

"You're not even in the finals," Malik teased. 

Mokuba checked eir phone. "We have an hour before we have to leave." 

"Why so early? The finals don't start until this evening." Isis frowned.

"You know Seto." Mokuba shook eir head. "It's always something grand with him, and it'll take us a while to reach the dueling arena." 


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Notes n' Stuff:
> 
> Kitto katsu- It literally means "surely win" or figuratively means good luck! Kit Kat bars are often handed out before tests or what not for luck b/c of the pun, and this is why Isis brought a ton of them to share with the other duelists (Isis is that dueling mom friend in tournaments. You can't change my mind). "Joey's" first name in the manga is Katsuya. Mai calls him Kitto Katsuya when she tosses a Kit Kat at him b/c puns. 
> 
> Most of you probably know about the electric chair ride from Death-T? Well, if you don't, that's why they make a joke w/Mokuba about the chairs electrocuting them. 
> 
> Natsumi Ogawa is an OC from the zombie fic. I needed another duelist, wanted them to be female, but didn't want to scrape through cast lists to find someone, so I decided to reincarnate her in this dimension as well. 
> 
> Mai is Gen X (she would have been born in the 70's) and totally refers to other females as "chicks" and "broads" you can't change my mind and don't @ me. [And Bakura doesn't have an excuse. He's just an ass.]

"Is that…" Mai's jaw dropped. "I'm not _actually _seeing what I think I'm seeing, am I?" 

"Depends, do you see a giant, floating fucking _fortress_ hovering over that mountain range?" Malik sat in the limo with his legs crossed and his arms crossed over his chest. 

"He didn't have time to have dinner with us _not once _during this entire fiasco, but he had time to engineer _that_." Ryou spoke in a calm, soothing voice, but there was an undercurrent to it. 

Mai raised an eyebrow, glancing at Isis who responded with a look that said _better to stay out of it. _Mai couldn't agree more. She gave Ryou's leg a sympathetic pat, but remained quiet. 

“The car can drive us close to the top, but it’s still going to be over an hour hike to the elevator up.” Mokuba gave them all a sheepish grin. “Seto wanted to work on teleporting technology, but I convinced him to wait until the next tournament—figured no one wanted to be the guinea pig for that tech just yet.” 

“Holy sci-fi Star Trek fuck.” Mai face palmed. Just when you thought you knew how Extra Seto Kaiba could be—he surprises you. 

Bakura gasped. “Mai, did you just say the fuck word?”

“I sure the fuck did.” 

“You can’t say fuck in front of Isis! You’ll corrupt her.” 

“Well fuck. I messed up, didn’t I?” 

“Don’t encourage him.” Isis nudged Mai with her elbow. 

“It’s really not fair. Malik never let’s me say fuck in front of you,” Bakura said. 

“You say fuck all the time.” Isis snorted. 

“See? Mai, I told you you’d corrupt her. Now she’s saying fuck.” 

“Yes. _Mai_ is the bad influence.” A tiny grin broke Rishid’s normal stoic mask. 

“I think Isis should be able to say fuck if she wants to.” Kek held his belly and stared out the window. 

Malik rubbed his shoulder. “Is the winding road up the mountain making you carsick?” 

“A little.” Kek flashed a queasy smile. “But at least Mokuba talked Seto out of _teleporting_ us. I’m sure that’d make me vomit.” 

“Or rearrange you inside out.” Ryou’s eyes flashed with excitement. “Could you imagine all the guts and sinew glistening in the light as you writhed in agony?” 

“Very...descriptive, Ryou.” Isis’s brow furrowed. 

“You should add that to our next game of Monster World,” Kek said. 

“Great idea.” Ryou pulled out his cellphone and swyped himself a reminder. 

“How much further until we’re there?” Malik chuckled. 

“Twenty minutes by car, and then the hike,” Mokuba said. 

“At least I wore comfortable shoes this time.” Mai bumped Isis’s shoulders. 

“I’m glad.” Isis smiled. “As much as I’d love to be chivalrous, I’m not sure I could carry you up a mountain.” 

“So...you two really are dating?” Malik asked. 

“Obviously.” Bakura rolled his eyes, and Malik smacked his arms. 

“Yes,” Isis said in a more direct tone. 

“Oh...that’s good.” 

“Wouldn’t it be great if you got married and then we’d all be related.” Ryou cheered. “You’d make the best sister-in-law ever!” 

“Hell yeah I would.” Mai winked. 

“It’s a little soon to be talking about marriage, isn’t it?” Malik asked. 

“Said the dude who married five other guys a year after dating them.” Mai laughed. 

“At least I waited a year,” Malik snapped back. 

“Hmm...I suppose we could skip the tournament and elope to Vegas and get married tonight.” Isis’s smile widened. 

“You are_ not_ going to get married in Vegas.” Malik’s mouth dropped. 

“We could pawn our replica Puzzles for airfare,” Rishid added. 

“Rishid, I’m used to that sort of facetiousness from Bakura, but expected better from you.” Malik crossed his arms over his chest. 

“Right? I’m proud of you, Baldy.” Bakura shot his finger at Rishid. 

“Maybe he’s been spending too much time with Bakura.” Isis shrugged. “Who knows? If I take the teaching position here in Domino, he might corrupt me next. I’ll start shooting at people with my finger and saying fuck at the end of each sentnece.” 

“Isis.” Ryou gasped, laughing. “Mai really _has_ been a bad influence on you.” 

“She was like this when I found her. I swear.” Mai held up her hands like a shield. 

“Perhaps if we spent less time in crowded tourist attractions or museums and more time drinking beer and playing poker together, you all wouldn’t be so shocked that I’m capable of casual conversation?” Isis raised an eyebrow, her focus aimed at Malik. 

“I thought you liked those things?” Malik frowned. 

“They were fun…” Isis’s expression grew chagrin.

“The first dozen times,” Mai finished her sentence. “But now that she’s going to be living here, we’re going to have to up our game, Malik, and show her how we _really_ have fun in Domino City.” 

“By playing the Floor is Lava?” Mokuba asked. 

“That is how we actually have fun.” Kek nodded. 

“Very well. I will try it _one time_.” Isis shook her head. “But only after a beer.” 

“We have a paintball course at the mansion,” Ryou suggested. “And you could always play Monster World with us—if you really wanted to hang out. We just thought those things would irritate you.” 

“They irritate me when they’re happening in my hotel room,” Isis sighed. “But I wouldn’t mind trying at home.” 

“Monster World is fun.” Mai turned to Isis. “It’s similar to Illusions of Gaia, but with pen and paper instead of a control pad.” 

The limo stopped and everyone peered out the tinted windows. They couldn’t see anything except shrubs and trees. 

“Here’s where we walk,” Mokuba said. Ey opened the mini fridge and passed around water bottles. “Here. No reason to risk dehydration.” 

“Remind me to divorce Seto when this is all over.” Bakura groaned. 

“A walk won’t kill you.” Ryou poked Bakura’s thigh. 

“You know what’s better than walking?” Bakura climbed out the limo’s backseat. “Stealing horses and riding.” 

“Well, as soon as you see some horses, feel free.” Malik gestured to the trees surrounding them. 

“This way. We better get going.” Mokuba led the way. 

Isis slipped her hand into Mai’s, and Mai’s entire world lit up at the gentle touch. They kept close to Mokuba, and teased the others for being slow despite their trousers. Ten minutes into the hike, Malik and Bakura began their usual bickering, but Kek and Ryou diffused them with a song about a boy named Herschell sneaking into the woods at night and being devoured by a monster. Mai could tell Kek felt better out of the car by the way he grinned and cackled, no longer holding his stomach. Shadows cloaked the narrow path. A few shafts of light cut through the canopy, but the air was cool and poignant with the scent of moss and tree bark. 

“It’s lovely here.” Isis turned each way, taking in the sight of every maple and birch, every skittering chipmunk or chirping wren. 

“Not as lovely as Playstation and air conditioning.” Bakura eyed the forest critters as if he expected them to bare their teeth and attack. 

“You’re always bragging about surviving in the desert, and how hardcore you were, and _back in my day we wrestled giant scorpions with our bare hands and ate them_, but you’re crying because of a nature walk?” Malik waved away Bakura’s complaint. 

“Yeah, we _had_ to do all that 3,000 years ago, but now there’s Playstation and air conditioning.” Bakura slapped a mosquito off of his shoulder. 

“Do you know mosquitos have killed more humans than any other species in the world?” Ryou whispered in a conspiratorial voice. 

“Dammit Ryou.” Bakura glared at him; Ryou smiled. 

The conversation continued as they climbed to the mountain’s top. Despite everyone teasing Bakura, after an hour of walking, Mai was sweating, out of water, huffing in the thinner air, and wanting nothing _but_ to kick back with Playstation, A/C, and a nice strawberry daiquiri. 

“Mokuba, you’re great, but your brother is a punk.” Mai pushed her curls from her face. 

“He does it on purpose to make us hot and tired before our first duels.” Mokuba stared ahead, refusing to look anywhere but their path. “Don’t complain in front of him because it only cheers him on.” 

“Like the wind and cold on the blimp in Battle City. Seto is clever when it comes to unofficially cheating.” Isis nodded. “There’s nothing in the rules stating one can’t use environmental factors against an opponent.” 

“I’m going to throw my huge, sweaty arms around him the moment I see him.” Kek snickered. 

“Mess up his hair. You know how much he loves that.” Malik smirked. 

“We’re here.” Mokuba stopped in front of a glass tube rising past the trees and into a sky they couldn’t see. 

“He’s like the Willie Wonka of Dueling.” Ryou finished his water and tossed the bottle in a bin set up near the elevator. 

“Takes something fun and makes it slightly terrifying? Yeah, I think you’re right.” Mai laughed. 

“I’m unfamiliar with the reference,” Isis admitted. 

“Movie.” Mai brushed a damp strand of hair behind Isis’s ear. “We’ll watch it together some time.” 

“I’d like that.” Isis’s smile widened again. 

Every time she smiled, Mai melted. Mai realized—staring at Isis in that moment—that she’d fight wars for that smile, endure anything, _climb a stupid mountain to duel by her side_. She wanted to buy Isis flowers—was going to as soon as the dueling was over and she had time to shop properly. 

“We’ll have to go in batches because there’s only room for—”

“Ladies first. See you losers later!” Mai shouted as she pulled Isis into the glass tube and slammed the up arrow button before anyone could complain or Mokuba could finish eir sentence. Mai flashed Isis a grin. “No offense to any of them, but I wanted to clear my head before the duel.” 

“Sneaky.” Isis giggled. 

“I try.” Mai pushed Isis against the glass as they shot into the sky. She smashed their mouths together. The tree line fell below them as the elevator lifted them higher. 

Isis grabbed Mai’s waist and pulled her closer. Giggles interrupted their kisses, but it didn’t stop them from trying to steal more from each other’s lips as the first wisps of clouds appeared. They only pulled apart when the elevator slowed before stopping and opening the doors. They stepped into a courtyard filled with well manicured lawns and shade trees. On the other end was the entrance into the fortress itself. Isis grabbed Mai’s hand again. 

“Let’s hope there’s no tricks between here and the arena.” 

“Mmm...you ever hear Yugi’s stories about Death-T?” Mai scanned the path leading to the doors. Nothing _looked_ booby-trapped, but maybe it hadn’t a great idea to sneak ahead without Mokuba after all… 

“He wouldn’t kill us—he’d be bored without other strong duelists to indulge his obsession,” Isis said. 

“Hope you’re right.” Mai sang. She was sure Isis was right, but wanted to tease her a bit to pass the time while they walked. 

Instead of door knobs or handles, there was a square pit carved into the door. It reminded Mai of a videogame puzzle. Isis opened her messenger bag and pulled out her replica Millenium Puzzle. She aimed the point at the hole and fitted the gold pyramid into the space. Something clicked and the door slid open. 

“Have I ever told you how attracted I am to clever women?” Mai breathed the words into Isis’s ear. 

“Are you?” Isis blushed. 

“Indeed I am.” 

“I have three doctorates,” Isis murmured, her tone seductive. 

“_Hot_.” Mai licked her lips. 

Their laughter echoed against the walls as they rushed forward. Rows of light bordering scarlet rug leaders marked their path. They reached a room filled with chairs. 

“This looks like freshman orientation.” Isis pulled a face. “Seto, please.” 

Mai gestured to a familiar lotto machine in the corner of the room. She noticed there were precisely fifteen chairs in the room, one for every duelist beside Seto, who would stand in the front and declare things in the most dramatic way possible. Would Yugi have accumulated other friends as he dueled who would inevitably follow him around like planets orbiting the sun? Probably, but Seto didn’t care about anyone _not_ dueling, so they’d be forced to stand. 

“I suppose we should find our seats.” Isis chose the middle front row. 

“I’d ask if you were a straight A student if I didn’t know you never had a chance to attend public high school.” Mai crossed her legs. 

“Seto should be thanking me for buffering him from his angry husbands.” Isis smirked. 

“Man, only twice have I seen Ryou so miffed. Once when Bakura ate his garlic bread, and once when a bully pushed a little girl into a muddy puddle—I think that one reminded him too much of his sister.” 

“Poor Ryou.” Isis frowned. “And the poor child. Was she okay?” 

“Yeah, we walked her home and her mom cheered her up.” 

The girl had also called Ryou _big brother_ in the way young children often did when she said goodbye. Mai had to take Ryou to a bakery for emotional support cream puffs as he dabbed his eyes with cheap paper napkins, but she didn’t add that part of the story. 

“I can’t believe you ditched us!” Bakura’s voice cut the silence. 

Malik sat in the back row and Bakura plopped into his lap, either noticing the lack of chairs for spectators or knowing Seto well enough to know he’d have to find his own seat. Rishid sat beside them, so quiet one could forget his presence the moment he stopped moving. 

“And it was such a peaceful, quiet five minutes.” Isis sighed. 

Bakura retaliated by loudly asking Malik how he liked the weather, and what did he think about the fortress, and was his deck prepared for the duel? Isis ignored him like a champ, but Mai wished she had a water gun filled with hot sauce she could spray into Bakura’s mouth—she made a mental note to do it later. 

“What’s the leading cause of death for lesbians?” Mai whispered to drown out the white noise which was Bakura’s existence. 

Isis raised an eyebrow. 

“Hairballs.” 

“Mai!” Isis folded into her lap in laughter. She covered her face with both her hands. 

“Don’t hide. I want to see you laughing.” 

“You caught me off guard. Well done.” Mai brushed curls away from her face. 

“Hey! Don’t have conversations without us!” Bakura shouted with hands cupped around his mouth. 

“Hey, Bakura? What’s the difference between a bowling ball and lesbian?” Mai called over her shoulder. She caught Bakura’s snarky expression plumet in her peripheral vision. 

“Nevermind. I don’t want to know. Please have conversations without us!” Bakura shoved his hands forward as if to ward away Mai’s answer. 

Too late. He wanted attention; Mai would provide. 

“You can only fit three fingers into a bowling ball.” Mai shot Bakura with her finger to add insult to injury. 

“How are you as immature as Bakura?” Malik groaned and buried his face into Bakura’s mane, trying to suffocate himself by the looks of it. 

“Guess Ishtars have a type,” Rishid said. 

“What are we missing?” Kek asked as he entered the room with Mokuba and Ryou. 

“Mai and Bakura are five years old,” Malik spoke through Bakura’s hair. 

“The real problem is that some people—Malik—don’t have a sense of humor,” Bakura argued. 

“I’m sure the problem is Malik’s humor and not you instigating the situation.” 

Ryou sat beside Malik and Bakura and Kek took the spot next to him. Mokuba stood in the back corner with eir arms crossed and a hard mask covering eir thoughts. They’d fixed eir hair and brushed the dust from eir skirt, determined to prove to Seto that the mountain walk didn’t phase em despite everyone else looking slightly rumbled. 

“Moki, please don’t brood in the corner. You look like your brother.” Ryou laughed, but it sounded a little worried. “Come sit with us.” 

“I’m fine.” 

“Mokuba, I have candy in my bag. Come sit with us.” Isis pulled a mini Kit-Kat from her messenger bag, flourishing it as delicately as she would a trading card. 

Mokuba sucked in a deep breath, trying to resist, but ey broke and eir arms dropped to eir sides. “Fine...but only because I choose to believe in good luck superstitions as an open defiance of Seto.” 

“I would also like to defy Seto with lucky candy.” Ryou batted his eyelashes as Isis. 

“You know I brought enough to share.” Isis tossed one of the fun-sized Kit-Kats to Ryou. 

Mokuba raided Isis’s bag, while Mai and Bakura got into a candy tossing food fight. Mai launched one of the snacks too hard and it smacked Jonouchi in the face the second he appeared in the doorway. 

“What the hell?” He rubbed his nose, glaring at the floor. 

“Well, I guess now you will surely win.” Anzu laughed behind him. 

“You really think so?” Jonouchi asked with genuine enthusiasm. 

“Well…” Anzu’s stalled as she fished for a response. “Do your best!” 

“You know I will!” 

“Candy!” Yugi cheered as he scooped the Kit-Kat off the floor. 

“Yug! That was my good luck charm!” Jonouchi pouted. 

“Catch, _Kitto Katsu-ya_!” Mai threw another candybar at him. 

“Thanks, Mai!” 

“Got your back, fam!” 

The room filled with people, and Isis really did have enough candy for everyone. Mai recanted her straight A student comment, upgrading it to teacher of the year candidate. The candy helped break the ice between the tense duelists, and the conversation went from luck, to winning, to speculations on what Seto would do _this time_ as a publicity stunt. Mai winced when she saw Rex and Weevil walk into the room. She was prepared to punch them in the fucking face if either one said anything she didn’t like—especially to Isis—But Isis smiled at them, offered them candy, and they accepted before sitting in their own corner. Mai wasn’t sure if candy soothed the savage beast or if they just _finally_ grew out of their annoying (decades long) teenager phase, but either way she was mostly pleased she didn’t have to start a fist fight. A little disappointed, but mostly pleased. 

“These chairs aren’t gonna electrocute us, are they Mokuba?” Jonouchi laughed. 

“_Shhh_ don’t ruin the surprise for the newer duelists.” Mokuba winked at two young women sitting together. 

At first Mai didn’t recognize either one, but then it dawned on her that the one with glasses was Rebecca Hawkins, who she’d met before briefly, and the dark-haired one was Natsumi Ogawa—a duelist who’d only appeared last year, but became a quick underdog favorite among the crowds. 

“It’s nice not being the only broad in the tournaments anymore,” Mai turned to them between breaks in the general chatter. 

“You shouldn’t demean us, nor yourself, with such misogynistic language,” Rebecca replied. 

Mai sighed at the age gap between her and most other duelists. Not that Rebecca wasn’t technically _correct_, but damn, not even a hello first. The younger generation was like that. But Mai didn’t spend her childhood out-climbing every boy on the monkey bars, and her teenage years reclaiming words like _broad_ and _bitch_ as badges of strength instead of hurtful insults, and her adult life competing in sausage fest after sausage fest of duels to be lectured about vocabulary. 

“Don’t worry, Mai! I’ll always think of you as a broad in a short skirt!” Bakura called over the din of the others. 

“I think of you the same way!” Mai blew him a kiss. 

Bakura smirked when Rebecca shot him a glare. He’d switched over to Kek’s lap to give Malik a break and a chance to catch up with the others. Malik, Atem, and Rishid were arguing over the subscript of a card. Malik jabbed his pointer finger at his phone screen and Atem shook his head “no” over and over—stubborn as ever. 

“What’s a lesbian’s favorite card game?” Isis whispered. 

Mai knew she was distracting Mai from getting into a debate or having a crude humor contest with Bakura, but Mai couldn’t help but nip at the bait. 

“I don’t know,” she answered. 

“_Poke-Her_.” 

“Did you make that up sitting here? While looking all quiet and well behaved?” Mai laughed. 

“Yes,” Isis said. 

“Please, I’m begging you, please marry me.” 

“Maybe if you win the tournament—I’ll marry you.” Isis grinned. 

“Deal! No welshing! If I win, you have to marry me!” 

“Isis! Malik already warned you about the evils of gambling!” Kek teased, having to shout over Bakura’s shoulder to be heard. 

“He’s not the boss of you.” Mai wagged a finger. 

“Okay, it’s a deal.” Isis kissed Mai’s hand to make their bet official. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I was going to try to update the rest of this fast, but (w/o over-sharing) some Serious Things have happened. And while I think everything is okay now-and I have a new nephew sooner than I'd expected-I've been having to travel a lot and might not get to update as quickly as I wanted to. Soo... *vague hand gestures* I'll update when I can depending on how things pan out (I don't know myself yet).


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't believe I got this proof-read this weekend. Just saying, go me :D

Mai and Isis flinched in their seats and grabbed each other's arms when a boom rumbled throughout the room. Several people complained about jump scares, but silence blanketed the crowd when Seto's voice surrounded them. The lights dimmed, and the walls and ceiling turned into holographic screens—creating the illusion of racing through the clouds. 

And thus began Seto's epic speech, but all Mai heard was _bla bla bla True Duelist _and _bla bla bla_ _Everybody Give Me Attention_. She rested her cheek against Isis’s shoulder. Isis placed a quick kiss on the crown of Mai’s head and laced their fingers together. 

Mai didn’t expect Isis to take their wedding bet seriously, but she couldn’t stop herself from daydreaming how nice it’d be—to settle down with someone. Twisting together beneath the covers but whispering late into the night, waking up with arms wrapped around her middle, sharing meals, and fighting over the mirror in the morning when they got ready, Mai knew a few days was too soon for any of this, but...she couldn’t imagine going more than a day or two without seeing Isis’s bright smile. Her chest ached at the thought of the tournament ending because Isis would be busy with relocating and her new job. They’d probably be reduced to one or two dates a week and Mai was going to pine herself to death during the in-between times. 

The clouds parted in front of them and a three-headed Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon raced toward them. Isis flinched—the holograms were _that_ realistic. Seto stood on top of the dragon, finishing his speech. His coat tails whipped behind him. He pointed at everyone in the audience, Mai almost felt the pierce of his blue stare. The lights eased on, the holograms vanished, but Seto remained on the stage at the front of the room, real and not a hologram. 

“And now to select the first round.” 

Their names appeared on the wall behind Seto. The ball machine in the corner spat out numbers as the letters scattered, scrambled, and rearranged into a tournament tree. Mai scanned for her name, holding her breath and hoping she wouldn’t have to fight Isis first round. An exhale huffed out of her chest when she saw she was paired with Kek and Isis was paired with Jonouchi. Moki growled, eir name connected to Weevil’s. 

“It’s a warm up match,” Isis whispered to Mokuba.

“It’s a chance for Seto to see my deck and strategy.” 

“But you’ll get the same advantage when Ryou duels Seto.” Isis patted Mokuba’s shoulder. 

“You have five mintues to prepare before we begin. Failure to take your position within a minute of time results in an automatic loss.” 

“It doesn’t matter.” Kek nudged Bakura off his lap so he could stand. “I forfeit.” 

The crowd began to mutter. Bakura called him a chicken, but apologize after Kek and Malik both shot him a dangerous glare. Kek deflated with a sigh, shook his head, and turned to exit the room. 

“No you don’t!” Mai jumped to her feet, marching toward him. “Kek, what the hell?” 

“I...don’t want to duel you.” Kek frowned, tugging at a spike of hair. His gaze skittered anywhere _but_ at Mai. 

Mai paused a moment. Her red lips twisted into a furious scowl. “Because of Battle City?” 

Kek hugged himself; his gaze sank to the ground. 

“Even with your Shadow Magic, I would have kicked your ass if it wasn’t for your stupid OP god card!” Mai shouted, closing the gap between them. 

“I’m not afraid of losing.” Kek shook his head. 

“No, you’re afraid of thinking about what an asshole you were, but guess what? I never forgot! And I still hang out with you and the others for gaming nights. You _owe me_ this rematch! You _owe me_ a chance to prove I could have beat you without all the bullshit Shadow Magic!” 

“Three minutes and twenty five seconds.” Seto turned and walked toward a side exit. 

“Seto Kaiba!” Ryou scolded. “Give them a few extra minutes to talk!” 

“He wants to forfeit, all he has to do is refuse to enter the dueling arena. _I_, on the other hand, will be waiting for you.” Seto said with a casual glance in Ryou’s direction before he left the room to prepare. Mokuba jumped to eir feet and left the room as well. 

“I suppose you will be.” Ryou muttered to a Seto no longer there. He folded his hands in his lap. 

“You’re playing.” Mai ignored the lover’s quarrel and the brother’s quarrel, pinched Kek’s ear lobe, and tugged. “Even if I have to drag him there myself.” 

Mai pulled Kek out of the room and down the hall. 

“Mai. Mai stop. Mai stop!” Kek growled. “You’re pissing me off.” 

“Too fucking bad. I’m pissed too.” Mai grit her teeth. 

“I said stop.” Kek jerked out of her hold, smacking her hand away. 

“If you feel bad then duel me.” Mai slumped against the wall, crossing her arms over her chest. “But I don’t want an unfair advantage. I want to win this—it’s important—and if you hand me my first victory on a silver platter I didn’t deserve, it’s going to cheapen the experience.” 

“I’m sorry...I—I don’t like thinking about…”

“I know. We’ve had this talk.” Mai elbowed Kek, trying to break the tension. “You hate it because you still _love it_, but it’s not like you have the Rod this time.” 

“You’re right.” Air whooshed from Kek’s mouth. “I thought it’d be easier for both of us if I—”

“That’s the problem. It’d be easier. Come on, let’s do things the unnecessarily hard Bakura way instead of the easy way.” Mai grinned. 

“If we duel, I’m not showing you mercy.” Kek flashed a dark smile, but it was nothing compared to the twisted expressions he’d had years and years ago on the blimp. 

“I’m not afraid of a dandelion like you.” Mai mussed his already crazy hair. 

“Your funeral.” Kek gave Mai a playful shove and jogged down the hallway where another row of lights along the floor led the way. 

Mai heard the soft click of flats against the floor. She turned as saw Isis’s graceful form appearing from the hallway shadows. 

“You handled that rather well. I wasn’t nearly as graceful with him when he first returned.” 

“Oh, when he first returned I punched him. We started to throw down, grappling on the ground, both grabbing fistfuls of each other’s hair, but everyone else broke us apart.” Mai snorted. “He was lucky because he was so scrawny back then, I was kicking his ass.” 

“Fierce.” Isis giggled. “You'd better go. You don’t want to be the one disqualified after convincing Kek to duel.” 

“Oh shit.” Mai dashed down the hallway. She stopped, spun, sped to Isis, stole a kiss, and ran again. “For luck!” 

Mai slipped her duel disk onto her arm and arranged her cards. Across from her, Kek drew his thumbnail across his throat. Mai flipped him the bird in return. _Once_ he’d been scary, but they’d had too many slumber parties where they all played Clue with painted toenails and clay masks on their faces. She wasn’t afraid; she was going to win. 

However, Kek won the coin toss and laid down a card Mai would bet her favorite bra was a trap. She placed her first harpy on the field and a face-down card of her own. Mai hyper-focused on the cards in front of her. Without the pain, agony, and terror of the Shadows, her thoughts were clear, and she focused on nothing but her strategy, countering each of his moves with her own. 

When Kek’s LP suddenly trickled to 0, Mai blinked, surprised it was already over. 

“Gods, you really did want to get back at me for Battle City, didn’t you?” Kek winced. “You murdered my ass. Ryou’s going to have to break out his necromancy books to revive me.” 

“Hmph.” Mai snorted, but a grin spread across her face. “I’m going to win this entire tournament, and I would have won Battle City if those broke-ass god cards hadn’t been in the games.” 

The referee declared Mai the winner. She rose a fist in the air, soaking in the cheers from the screens connecting them to the crowds in Domino via live-streaming. When the cries settled down, she left the stage and stood on the sidelines with the others. 

“Congratulations.” Isis embraced her. 

“Thanks, babe.” Mai kissed Isis’s temple. 

They stood with their arms linked as they watched the referee call the next match. "Yugi v. Rex.” 

“Gee, I wonder who’s going to win,” Mai said with a flat tone. 

“I’d like to say fate sometimes surprises us, but we all know Yugi’s going to crush him as badly as you crushed poor Kek.” 

“At least I didn’t put him into a coma.” Mai shrugged. 

“Our pasts are all so...complicated.” Isis sighed. 

“Duelist culture." Mai squeezed Isis's arm. 

They stared at each other. Smiles stretched across their faces. Mai would have felt like she was floating through air even if she hadn't been on an actual air fortress. 

“Already?” Isis jerked her gaze away from Mai to stare at the duel after a roar from the audience distracted them. 

“Already what—damn Yugi, you could have let him have more than one turn.” Mai shook her head.

“I was hoping we’d have a few more minutes to talk.” Isis frowned.

“Don’t worry.” Mai held Isis’s cheek. “Go win your duel and we’ll have the rest of round one to chat.” 

“I’m...nervous.” Isis’s cheeks warmed beneath Mai’s touch. “Last time I played in a tournament duel, it was during Battle City, and I only did so in hopes of helping my brother.” 

“Isis, sugar, listen...you’re good. You’re much better than you think. Don’t worry. Lots of people get nervous, but regardless, march out there like you’ve already won.” Mai kissed Isis’s forehead. “For luck.” 

Isis tugged Mai closer, stealing a savage kiss from her lips before stepping back. 

“For luck.” She turned and marched out to the battle arena. 

Mai licked her lips, savoring the kiss, but then she frowned. Jonouchi was good; it wasn’t going to be an easy match. Isis stood stoically as Jonouchi rushed out onto the stage, shouting, joking, and otherwise just being himself. Jonouchi won first turn, but only lay a single monster face down. 

Isis activated Necrovalley Throne and used its ability to add Gravekeeper's Commandant to her hand, but discarded it for Necrovalley Field. By the end of her combo, isis managed to bring out Gravekeeper Sphere Soldier and use him to destroy Joey’s face down monster and kick 900 LP from his total. 

“That’s my girl.” Mai clenched her fist as she watched Isis dominate the first round. 

Jonouchi fared better during his second turn, but each time he thought he’d managed to cut Isis down, she had a trap waiting to derail his combos. During Mai’s own duel, she hadn’t felt nervous at all. She’d tunneled her vision to nothing but her cards, and nothing but stats and combos entered her mind, but now her heart raced and her palms were sweaty. She wanted Isis to win so badly that when Jonouchi managed to knock 1600 LP from Isis mid-game, Mai had to physically hold onto the support beam keeping the roof above her head in order not to jump into the arena and bust Jonouchi’s nose. 

“Don’t worry, she’ll win.” Kek appeared beside Mai. 

“Shouldn’t you be with Ryou before his duel?” Mai asked. “He and Seto are up next.”

“They’re both hiding to work on their decks.” 

“First Mokuba and now Ryou. Seto’s making a lot of enemies this tournament.” 

“Eh, they’ll forgive him tomorrow once the dueling fever leaves his blood.” 

“Holy shit! Go Isis!” Mai screamed, jumping up and down and clapping as Isis used a spell to turn Jonouchi’s Red Eyes against him, knocking his LP to 0. 

“I told you she’d win.” Kek grinned. 

Mai gave his shoulder a pat to let him know she was listening, but after the ref announced Isis’s victory, Mai ran out to the arena and lifted Isis by the waist. She swirled them in a circle until they were both gasping with laughter. 

“I knew you’d win!” Mai shifted Isis’s weight in her arms so she could carry her bridal style off the field. 

Through the speakers, the crowds were losing their minds. They loved dueling drama as much as they loved the duels. Relationships were always the favorite gosip on the forums and social media sites, and if they thought they’d have a lot to blog about by the obvious fact that Mai and Isis were now a couple, they were about to weep with joy when they saw Ryou’s and Seto’s duel. 

Each player stepped wordlessly onto the field. Their first two turns were quick and silent as they set up their various strategies. On the third round, Seto said.

"You're angry." 

"Yes." Ryou used Swords of Revealing Light to cripple Seto's Blue Eyes.

"Do I not always make up for lost time afterward?" Seto asked.

"You do." Ryou nodded, building up his defences. "But that doesn't mean you're excused from never calling, texting, meeting us for lunch—Kek was upset, and you didn't even give him _five extra minutes_, Seto." 

"We're on a schedule," Seto said.

"Where are your priorities?" Ryou special summoned Universitas Rex and boosted him with Mask of Brutality to send the Blue Eyes to the graveyard while inflicting 1000 damage before having to return Universitas Rex to his hand. 

"I treat all tournament participants equally. Kek does not get special treatment." 

Seto used one of the latest edition spell cards to summon the Blue Eyes from his graveyard back into his hand. He attacked, killing Ryou's only monster card on the field, and knocking 1200 LP from Ryou's total.

"You only follow rules when it suits you." Ryou drew a card and destroyed his Mask of Brutality to save LP. "Otherwise you would have been dueling in the streets with the rest of us, instead of sitting up here in a floating castle and pretending to be God, and even _then _I could forgive you, but you treated Mokuba as if ey weren't as proficient as you with a deck—and you _know _ey are." 

_That doesn't matter, Ryou_. Mokuba shouted from behind Seto's side of the field.

"It matters to me," Ryou said. 

"I forced Mokuba to duel with the rest of you to make em stronger. Mokuba understands this." 

"You're not there when eir sitting up in the middle of the night _refusing _to eat or sleep because of _ridiculous card games_. It's bad enough to watch _you_ when you get like this. No more. A big brother _protects _his siblings. He doesn't give them his bad habits. You need to start considering how your actions affect those around you."

Ryou special summoned Universitas Rex again and paid the extra 1500 LP to normal summon all his available ghost cards. With an undead army at his back, Ryou stared at Seto. 

"Next round, I'm storming you with everything I have." 

"I'm sorry, love." Seto smirked. 

Their argument had been muted and calm, but at the thought of victory, Seto's usual vibrato shone through his somber tone. With his final turn, Seto’s cackled echoed in the dueling field as he summoned Gandora the Dragon of Destruction. Ryou's ghosts disintegrated, and Gandora's attack destroyed the rest of Ryou's LP. 

“Your strategy was bold, but you should have known you couldn’t defeat me.” Seto puffed out his chest, proud of himself. 

"Well played." Ryou dropped his cards to the ground and flung his duel disk to the side.

"What are you doing?" Seto scowled. 

"I'm done." Ryou turned and walked away.

The crowd cheered for Seto's victory, but he stood with his mouth agape as Ryou disappeared into the castle.

"Should you go find him?" Mai whispered to Kek.

"I want to, but Seto has to deal with this one himself." 

Seto stood on his side of the field. Mai almost felt sorry for him; he looked small and worried beneath all the harsh stage lights. Seto reached out his hand in the direction Ryou left. 

"Ryou…wait." 

They only heard the barely whispered words because of the microphones in the dueling area. Seto rushed off-stage. Kek nodded, satisfied. 

"They'll work it out." 

"You sound sure of yourself. Aren't you worried?" Mai asked. 

"Nope." Kek grinned. "Seto won the battle, but watch, Ryou's going to win this war. We won't all be crowding your apartment during the next tournament because Seto will be a little more bearable to be around." 

"Thank goodness." Isis smile. "I plan on being the only one to move into Mai's apartment in the near future." 

Mai fidgeted with her deck. Was Isis joking? Mai wanted to rush to the mall for matching Her and Her bath towels. She was already planning on how to rearrange her closet for extra space, and where they could stick extra shelves for anything decorative Isis bought from home. As she remodeled her apartment in her fantasies, Mokuba took Seto's place in hyping up the crowd. Seto would be proud of eir "the show must go on" performance as ey started eir duel against Weevil. It was a respectable duel, but there wasn’t a snowball’s chance for Weevil, and Mokuba finished him after half a dozen turns. 

“This has been a fast-paced tournament.” Mai snorted a single laugh. 

“I could murder one or two people to slow things down a bit.” Kek smirked. 

“You’ll have to deal with Ryou afterward.” Isis raised an eyebrow. “I know you covet pain, but do you want _that_ much?” 

“Ha, you got me.” Kek shrugged. “Guess I’m behaving after all.” 

“There you are.” Malik stood beside Kek—Bakura shadowing him. “We were so absorbed with Seto and Ryou’s duel we didn’t notice you sneak away.” 

“It was pretty painful to watch Seto win at the last second with Gandora.” Bakura shook his head. 

“Yes, isn’t that the card Yugi used to defeat you once?” Isis asked with a noticeably innocent tone. 

“Not exactly, but sorta.” Bakura slung an arm around Isis’s shoulders. “Y’know, you’d make a great thief, what with all the daggers you hide under your tongue.” 

“Thank you,” Isis said. 

“Anyway.” Bakura dropped his arm and nudged Kek. “Why don’t we go raid the after-duel reception area for snacks?” 

“Don’t you want to watch Rishid duel?” Kek asked. 

“Eh, it’s only Anzu. Baldy’s got this in the bag.” 

“Yeah, what does Anzu know about dueling?” Mai crossed her arms over her chest. “She’s only in the finals—unlike you.” 

“Scathing.” Bakura gestured with his head. “C’mon, you should go with us, Mai.” 

Mai began to turn Bakura down, but then realized Bakura was helping Malik get rid of everyone. She shrugged, willing to go so Malik and Isis could talk, but Isis interrupted before Mai could agree. 

“Malik, if you want to have a conversation with me, I’m right here. You don’t have to send everyone else away.” 

“Who said I wanted to talk?” Malik shoved his hands in his pockets. 

“It’s rather obvious,” Isis said. 

“Fine.” Malik huffed out an irritated breath, but he deflated a little, expression softening. “I only wanted to say sorry, if we’ve been a pain lately. I thought it’d be fun for us all to cram together for a week—like the slumber parties we have with Rishid and Moki—but we should have asked you what _you_ wanted to do for quality time instead of imposing ourselves in your room without asking.” 

“Maybe if you’d ever let her join in on the pillow fights and blanket forts instead of waiting until she left and setting everything up behind her back, only to fight with each other when she walked through the door each night?” Mai raised an eyebrow. 

“We were trying not to bother her. Isis doesn’t like pillow fights.” Malik frowned, glancing at his sister. “Right?” 

“I don’t know, you’ve never invited me to participate. Playing poker with everyone was fun, and I didn’t think I liked video games until Mai asked me to play with her.” 

“_Heh_, if you want to participate, we will _make sure_ you’re involved next time. In fact, we might turn the post duel party into a huge _The Floor Is Lava Competition_.” Bakura winked. 

“You can’t crash the tournament reception like that. It’d be disrespectful.” Isis chuckled. 

“You underestimate how much Seto enjoys a good game of _The Floor Is Lava_,” Kek said. 

“I can’t wait to shove Atem into the lava and watch him burn to death.” Bakura rubbed his hands together, a sinister grin curling on his lips. 

“Have I mentioned today how fucking glad I am that Shadow Magic isn’t an active thing anymore?” Mai rolled her eyes. 

“Could you imagine how amazing the game would be with real lava?” Kek asked, delighted at the thought. 

Malik cleared his throat. “All I was saying—” he shot a glare at the others, as if saying that _this_ was the reason he wanted everyone to leave in the first place. “From now on, we’ll try to ask you what you want to do when you visit instead of assuming, and from now on, we’ll ask if you want to be included in more things.” 

“Thank you, Malik. I appreciate the consideration.” Isis wrapped her arms around her brother. “Overall, this has been the most fun visit I’ve ever had to Domino. Mai took me to several interesting restaurants, and dueling is more enjoyable when the fate of the world isn’t at stake.”

“I disagree.” Bakura’s nose crinkled as he grinned. 

“No one cares what you think,” Isis said. 

“I’m so...hurt…” Bakura grabbed his chest over his heart and stumbled, dropping to the ground and playing dead. Everyone ignored his dramatics and returned their attention the the duel. 

“Oh wow, Anzu summoned Athena, Rishid better watch his ass.” Mai watched as Anzu’s goddess card wiped out Rishid’s strongest defensive monsters. 

Rishid’s expression remained stoic—of course he did, if he emoted mid-duel he’d probably kill his opponent from sheer shock. On his turn he re-built his defenses, but still took 600 LP damage the next round when Anzu managed to summon another fairy type to the field. However, Rishid used Treacherous Trap Hole to destroy two of Anzu’s fairies. Anzu had a spell to destroy the trap, but it triggered Rishid’s other trap card: Judgement of Anubis, which he used to negative Anzu’s spell, and destroy Athena, and because Judgement of Anubis forced the player to take damage totalled to the amount of the monster they lost—Anzu lost 2600 points which brought her total below 0. 

“Ha! I gave him the Treacherous Trap Hole card,” Bakura boasted. “He'd better thank me. Especially if he wins the entire tournament.” 

“Now if only there were a way to shut _your_ treacherous trap hole when you interrupt me,” Malik said. 

“Well, there is the _one way_.” Kek snickered. 

“No distracting me before my duel.” Malik elbowed him. 

“Good luck, Malik,” Isis said. “Though I’m confident you’ll win.” 

“Of course he’s going to win.” Bakura waved off Isis’s good luck wish. “He’s dueling some nobody upstart. This is going to be the quickest match yet.” 

“I’ll try to draw it out a little for the crowds.” Malik ironically shot Bakura with his finger before going to take Rishid’s place. 

They watched, cheering for Malik. Rishid joined them and he and Bakura had an unofficial contest on who could shout for Malik the loudest. The duel was pretty typical at first. Monsters, spells, traps, tributing lower ranked monsters for stronger ones. It was hard to pinpoint the instant Natsumi pulled ahead. One moment Malik was leading, then they were even, and then Malik’s LP was 0 and he was left blinking at his cards while the crowd lost their shit. 

“I can’t believe he lost!” Bakura held his stomach, laughing so hard he fell over again. 

“_Daaaaayum_.” Kek whistled. 

“How...unfortunate.” Isis sighed. 

“Dibs on not dueling her next round.” Mai shook her head. 

Malik slinked back to the rest of their group with a sheepish look on his face. 

“Ha! You loser! You were beaten by a noob!” Bakura pointed up at Malik as he laughed. 

“You aren’t even in this tournament, so I guess we’re a perfect pair of losers, aren’t we?” Malik crossed his legs and sat next to Bakura. 

Bakura's laughter faded as he gazed at Malik. A half hidden smile betrayed his happiness every time he glanced Malik's way.

“Hey, I lost too!” Kek jumped into Malik’s lap. 

“Damn, so did Ryou. We really suck at card games.” Malik laughed. “Maybe Bakura had the right idea when he flattened his pieces against the train track.” 

“Listen, the only fun thing about these tournaments—now that murder via dark magic is banned—is the food and drinking afterward, but we’re already married to the asshole who hosts these.” Bakura sat up. “What I’m saying is, next time we should bring picnic blankets and flasks and day drink while providing bitter commentary and let the Dweeb Patrol struggle to see who gets the honor of losing to Yugi at the end of the tournament.” 

“That actually sounds fun,” Kek agreed. “I’m in.” 

“Looky, Bakura, your favorite person is here.” Mai gestured to Atem. 

“Fuck his face.” Bakura scowled, cupping his hands around his mouth and shouting. “Go Rebecca! Girl power!” 

Rebecca didn’t turn, but she did flip Bakura off. Everyone—except Bakura—burst into laughter. 

“Well excuse me for sipping on the Respect Women Juice.” Bakura crossed his arms over his chest and sniffed. 

“Sipping perhaps, but you’re chugging the Hate the Pharaoh Juice,” Rishid said. 

“I mean...yeah.” Bakura shrugged. 

Mai didn’t pay much attention to the duel. Rebecca played well, but she was up against Atem, and in the end, the Pharaoh’s will be done. Mai wasn’t bitter like Bakura. She got along well with Yugi’s group—she was admittedly closer to Ryou’s group—but she kept in touch with the others as well. The referee announced Atem as the victor, and Seto returned in time to declare the end of the first round and that the winners had one hour to recover and prepare their decks before the next level commenced. 

“Let’s sneak away,” Isis whispered in Mai’s ear. 

Mai grinned, nodded, and raced Isis into the dueling castle before the others could ask where they were going.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if the duels are a little rushed. I couldn't deal with writing so many card games so I clipped most of the details. (but I used that extra space to sneak in a lemon, so...priorities)

The hallways all looked the same. Isis grabbed Mai’s hand and dragged her through the maze and into one of the myriad rooms—locking the door behind them. Mai scanned the room. It appeared to be a display area for various Duel Monster memorabilia. 

“Looks like Kaiba is turning this into some sort of Duel Monsters museum after the tournament,” Mai said.

“I’m sure the Blue Eyes wing will be spectacular.” Isis grinned, but she didn’t glance at any of the posters or figurines on display. 

Isis stepped to Mai. She pressed the heel of her palm against Mai’s sternum and pushed her backward. The wall bumped against Mai’s back. She started, giggling when she realized Isis had her pinned. 

“Your good luck kiss worked pretty well for round 1, but we might need to be even more lucky if we’re going to win our next matches.” 

“Yeah?” Mai lidded her gaze. 

Isis hovered her lips a breath away. Mai squeezed Isis’s ass, pulling their bodies together. Their noses brushed together. Isis’s eyelashes tickled Mai’s cheek as she tilted her head and ghosted her lips against Mai’s earlobe. Mai’s fingers kneaded Isis’s dress and the soft, curvy body beneath it. They dragged their lips together—soft each time, pulling away and returning the way the tide drags over the sand one wave at a time while coming in. Mai hitched her hips, exhaling as the exquisite pressure in her loins warmed and swelled. When Isis nudged her in return, Mai gasped. 

“You were so determined when you dueled. I could see the resolve etched in your expression. It inspired me during my own duel.” Isis kissed Mai’s jawline. 

“_Hmmm_, wonder what else I can inspire you to do?” Mai licked up the side of Isis’s neck. 

She tilted her head to give Mai room. Sighing, Isis shut her eyes. Her fingers teased their way down Mai’s body until she reached the button of Mai’s shorts. With a quick flick of her thumb and pointer finger, Isis undid the button, pulled the zipper low, and slipped her hand into Mai’s shorts. 

“You’re a fucking goddess,” Mai moaned when Isis’s finger slipped beneath her hood and circled around her clit. 

“Literally.” Isis laughed.

Mai bit her neck, enough to turn her giggle into a soft gasp. The nip excited Isis. She held Mai’s chin and captured her mouth. As she stroked Mai, her other hand pinched Mai’s nipple, making Mai squeal. Legs quivering as Isis touched her, Mai leaned her full weight against the wall. She gasped between each kiss, clenching a fistfull of Isis’s lush, heavy hair. She rocked, nudging into Isis’s touch, needing it, desperate for it. The heat between her legs flamed hotter. 

“Oh sugar, please,” Mai whimpered, so close to orgasm that she ached for it. 

“Mai,” Isis kissed down to Mai’s collarbone, keeping her bites light so Mai wouldn’t bruise. 

“Fuck...fuck...fuck yes—Fuck! _Ahh_!” Mai bit her hand to mute herself as her climax ripped through her. The last thing she wanted was a guard knocking on the door. 

Isis sucked her fingers clean, giving Mai a sleepy, hungry stare. Mai lifted Isis in her arms and carried her to a bench in the corner of the room. She lay Isis down, spread her legs, and straddled the bench so she could bend down and lick the full length of Isis’s slit. 

“I’m going to wreck your hair.” Isis clenched her teeth, fisting both hands into Mai’s curls and yanking. 

Mai refused to stop. She shifted to her knees on the ground so she’d have better access to Isis’s cunt. Mai kissed the folds and inner lips before dabbing her tongue along her slit again. With her thumb, she pushed Isis’s hood back, revealing her swollen clitoris. Mai lapped gently, and Isis mewled. Dragging her nails down Isis’s thick brown thigh, Mai drank in the sight of her, all gorgeous and splayed out for Mai to worship. And she did worship her, prayed with her lips, mouth, tongue, prayed that her goddess would come with Mai’s name on her lips. Each time Isis tugged against the crown of Mai’s hair, it was an answer to her prayers. Each time Isis moaned and hitched her hips, Mai’s heart sang. 

Isis wrapped her leg over Mai’s shoulder. Her thighs were taut, and her pussy swollen and dripping with desire. Mai sped her tongue, fluttering it full force against Isis’s clit, and Isis _did_ scream Mai’s name when she came, and it was the most beautiful sound Mai had ever heard. Afterward, Isis crawled into Mai’s lap and flung her arms around Mai’s neck. They held each other, both breathing hard. 

Mai was rearranging her closet again and thinking about what tea cups Isis would store in their kitchen cupboards—if they were to live together. She berrated herself for being clingy, but it was hard not to imagine waking up beside Isis every morning when her arms were coiled around Mai so possessively. 

“Did you need to look at your deck?” Isis murmured. 

“Oh yeah, we’re kinda in the middle of a tournament, aren’t we?” Mai laughed. “I guess we should see if Seto’s announced the next matches yet.” 

“One more minute. This is too nice.” 

“Mmm…” Mai hummed, nuzzling Isis’s hair. 

After they recovered, they slipped back to the dueling arena, and no one teased them about sneaking away. In fact, Ryou, Bakura, Malik, and Kek had somehow found the materials to erect an enormous banner reading _The Losers' Corner. _They sat on a blanket—Mai couldn't possibly guess where the hell they found it—and drank lemonade out of small plastic cups. Any time someone walked by who’d won their duel, Bakura pointed and laughed and mocked them for being a winner, but when Anzu walked by they offered her a cup of lemonade. She accepted, sitting down and gossiping with Ryou for a few minutes before wandering over to Yugi and Gang once again. 

“They are...unique, but oddly suited for each other.” Isis shook her head. “I’m glad my brother is happy.” 

“Watching him act out during a tournament is an improvement to stealing god cards and running the Ghouls.” Rishid stood beside them He was unfortunately not allowed to drink lemonade, since he was an unworthy victor. 

A tornado of smoke bombs and pyrotechnics swirled in the center of the dueling arena. Seto appeared like a very gay, very nerdy magician and used holograms to display the next round of matches. The list appeared in order: Seto versus Mokuba, Mai versus Atem, Rishid versus Natsumi, Isis versus Yugi.

“Fuck.” Mai, Isis, and Rishid all said in union when they saw their opponents. 

“The honeymoon is over.” Mai smacked her head against the wall behind her. “The real duels start now.”

Atem.

Out of everyone on the fucking list she was stuck dueling the fucking Pharaoh. Then again, Isis had to face Yugi, which was an even tougher win. 

“Don’t worry, you can sit with us when it’s over!” Kek waved from _The Losers Corner_. 

“Don’t hold your breath!” Mai shouted. “None of us have lost yet!” 

***

Despite their banter and lemonade, the others grew very quiet when Mokuba stepped onto the stage. Mai held her breath as Mokuba and Seto shuffled their cards. Seto won the coin toss and Mai cursed. 

“Who do you think will win?” Isis asked, voice hushed. 

“Probably Set—”

“Moki.” Mai interrupted Rishid. 

“Too emotional.” Rishid shook his head in disagreement. 

“I don’t care.” Mai bit her bottom lip. “I’m still rooting for em.” 

“I can’t help but notice Mokuba is only summoning 3 star monsters. Do you think ey’re going to use the trap card we gave em, Rishid?” Isis smiled. 

“Of course. Seto’s biggest flaw is his love for overpowered monsters.” Rishid nodded. 

“What trap card did you give him?” Mai asked. 

“Gravity Bind,” Isis answered. 

“Ah, nice!” Mai’s grin stretched across her face. “Seto won’t be able to use his Blue Eyes even if he does summon her.” 

“Precisely.” 

Mai watched and waited. Mokuba had some amazing level three monsters in eir deck, such as Ghost Ogre and & Snow Rabbit, and Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring. They allowed Mokuba to hold eir own while Seto gathered enough tribute for his Blue Eyes, but Moki needed Gravity Bind if ey were going to beat the game.

“Ey have other traps,” Rishid said, as if also anxious while they watched Mokuba. “Surely ey’ll pull something soon.” 

Mai frowned. It was too late. Mokuba seemed to have nothing but monsters in eir hand and on the field, and traps or spells somehow buried at the bottom of eir deck. Seto managed his third Blue Eyes and combined them to win the game. 

Mokuba dropped to eir knees. Ey stared at eir cards, looking betrayed. Mai curled her pointer finger into her mouth and bit down hard. If she ever wanted to cry after a duel, it was this one—no, not even when she was tortured and trapped in a coma did she weep, but now she was holding herself together by the virtue of her $50 eyeliner not being waterproof, and no other reason. Mokuba wore a similar expression. 

“It was ill luck.” Isis sighed. 

“But look at how well ey played,” Rishid said. “Give em two or three more tournaments, and they’ll beat anyone they come across. Being a Kaiba, Mokuba was always on the sidelines cheering on Seto. Ey only began dueling publicly this year, and I don’t think I could have beaten em if I’d faced em.” 

“Yeah. I just feel so bad for em.” Mai blinked. Eyeliner, Mai, eyeliner. 

In a rare display of quiet, Seto removed his duel disk and handed it to the referee. He walked to Mokuba, crouching in front of em and resting his hand on eir shoulder. 

“Hey,” Seto spoke in a soft voice, but the duels were being broadcasted, so the microphones picked up his voice. 

“I know. I need to do better,” Mokuba said. 

“I’m proud of you,” Seto said. 

Mokuba lifted eir face, eyes round as ey stared at eir brother. 

“It’s only your first tournament.” Seto stood. He extended his hand, offering it to his sibling. “I have a feeling you're going to make things a lot more difficult for me in the future.” 

“You’re damn right I am.” Mokuba clasped Seto’s offered hand, standing. 

Together, they walked off stage, Mokuba was speaking animatedly about something, but they were out of mic range, so no one could hear them.

“Dammit...Seto.” Mai sniffed. “How dare you have a touching brother moment right before my duel. I’m going to look like a racoon because I’m crying.” 

“Here.” Isis grabbed tissue from her messenger bag and dabbed at Mai’s eyes. “Don’t worry, you’ll still look beautiful while you win your duel.” 

“Thanks, shug.” Mai laughed.

Once Mai regained control of herself, she went to her side of the field, staring across the empty space at Atem. She won the coin toss and set a monster and trap on the field. She knew Atem’s deck rather well. He’d use Dark Magician and every possible accessory card to go with it and pad it out with seemingly harmless creatures that had game-changing hidden effects. Mai knew he’d draw the card he needed each time—she counted on it. Fighting Atem and Yugi was always a possibility in this tournament, so Mai included traps, spells, and accessory cards of her own to counter them. Atem managed to clear Mai’s defenses, but she special summoned Pure Decent Harpie which kept her in the game. At one point she managed to take control of Atem’s Dark Magician, but Atem had enough fodder to weather out the attacks until the Dark Magician returned to his side of the field. 

Her game with Kek had finished as quick as a bolt of lightning struck the ground, but she and Atem clawed at each other’s LP one turn at a time. However, neither of them could destroy the other until Atem was finally able to pull both his Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl from the graveyard. After their combined attack, Mai’s last few hundred LP vanished. 

Mai bit her lip, refusing to scream fuck in front of the crowds viewing the duel and come off as a poor loser, but she was furious...and devistated. Not that the wedding bet had been real, but...Mai wanted it to be real, and she felt like she’d lost something far more precious than a title of the best duelist. Regardless, Mai kept her chin lifted, her shoulders back, and her lips stretched in a grin. She blew a kiss to the cameras, winked. No weakness in front of the enemy, not until she was back on the sidelines where she slumped against the wall and heaved a dramatic sigh. 

“Better luck on your duel, Rishid.” She elbowed him playfully. 

“Thank you. I fear I’ll need it.” He stepped into the arena to face Natsumi. 

“You were amazing.” Isis rested her hand on Mai’s shoulder. 

“Yeah, at least I made Atem work for it. Sometimes it feels like that’s all you can do against him.” Her gaze flittered over to Isis. “Guess I need to go sit with the others and drink lemonade.” 

“Don’t you dare leave my side,” Isis said, her expression serious. 

“Hmm...I can’t manage to say no to a beautiful women, so I suppose I’ll hang around while Rishid duels.” 

“Thank you.” Isis kissed Mai’s forehead before cupping her cheeks. “You really did play well.”

“Don’t cheer me up,” Mai groaned. “I’m too busy wallowing in self pity.” 

“I know, but you should be proud of your skills and how far you made it.” Isis feathered light, delicate kisses across Mai’s cheeks and the bridge of her nose. 

She did her best to pout during the affection, but as Isis continued to tickle her face with tiny kisses. A single snort of laughter slipped through Mai’s defenses. Soon she was giggling and lacing her fingers with Isis’s. 

“Damn you. Told you not to cheer me up.” 

“If it makes you feel any better,” Isis whispered into her hair. “I think you’re the only duelist here who’s getting any pussy after the tournament.” 

_That_ undid Mai in the way _only_ Isis could undo her. She laughed so hard her knees buckled. Their hair tangled together and they pressed their foreheads and bumped noses. They only broke apart when a wave of cheers interrupted them. On the dueling field, Natsumi used the spell card Limiter Removal to double the attack points of all her machine type monsters and then launch a mass assault against Rishid. He’d been sitting pretty with a 3,000 LP lead, but after the attack, he was defenseless and barely surviving with 100. He set a card face down his next turn, but Natsumi summoned another monster and whatever Rishid set down couldn’t help him. He lost. 

“It is just not our round.” Mai shook her head. 

“Poor Rishid.” Isis sighed. 

“Don’t worry about us.” Mai kissed Isis’s neck. “We’ll be off with your brother drinking lemonade. Isis—” Mai squeezed her hand. 

“Yes, Mai?” 

“Don’t join us, okay?” She brushed her lips against Isis’s. They lingered for a moment, then Mai deepened the kiss. “For luck, of course.” 

“Of course.” Isis allowed their fingers to separate. 

“The noobs have Gotten Gud.” Rishid offered them a graceful smile when he returned, his face stoic to the disappointment he must have felt at losing. 

“I feel like a lamb going to slaughter.” Isis laughed nervously. 

“Yes, but…” Rishid whispered something into his sister’s ear Mai couldn’t hear. 

“You make an interesting point.” Isis grinned. “I’ll keep that in mind as I duel.” 

Isis winked at Mai before going to meet Yugi on the dueling field—actually winked. Isis. Winked. Mai was speechless. Bakura didn’t see it, but Mai wished he had so they could have gossiped about it together. 

“Shall we?” Rishid offered his arm. 

“Yes. We earned it after all.” 

They marched to The Losers Stand and forced the others to make room for them. Ryou poured them cups and handed one to each of them. Malik patted Rishid’s shoulder and they exchanged similar _omg we were beat by the noob_ grins. 

“And then there was one.” Kek gestured toward Isis with his chin. 

“You can do this, Isis!” Malik cheered. Ryou clapped his hands and Kek whistled. 

“Kick his ass, sis!” Bakura shouted, toasting with his lemonade. 

“Is this spiked?” Mai winced when the vodka hit her tongue. 

“Why do you think the victors weren’t allowed to drink any?” Malik smirked. “We didn’t want to sabotage your chances of winning.” 

“I can’t drink this. If Isis loses, I’m going to start crying again.” She handed her cup to Rishid. 

“Again?” Bakura asked with a teasing tone. 

“Shut up, or I’ll tell Isis that a certain King of Thieves _also_ cried when Hamlet died.” Mai crossed her arms over her chest. 

“Ryou, why did you tell _Mai_ that?” Bakura hissed. 

“Because I tell Mai everything.” Ryou grinned, his cheeks rosy from the vodka. 

“How are you doing, love?” Mai asked. 

“I’m very happy.” Ryou beamed. 

“Because you’re drunk?”

“I’m only buzzed,” Ryou said. “But I did managed to negotiate a few new house rules for a certain CEO husband to follow.” 

“Does he have to get all super villain fortresses approved by at least a ⅔ husband vote before each tournament?” 

“He has to duel in the streets like the rest of us, and we have to meet for dinner _every night_.” 

“Well, that’s something.” Mai dropped her head into Ryou’s lap. 

“What’s wrong?” Ryou combed his fingers through Mai’s hair. 

“Nothing.” Mai sighed. “I wanted to win.” 

“Me too.” Ryou nodded. “Not the tournament, per se, but I wanted to win against Seto.'

“_Pffffff_, you’re telling me.” Moki snorted. 

“I’m being stupid.” Even giving up her spiked lemonade, Mai felt her cheeks flush. “I wanted to show off in front of Isis and impress her. You know, be the best instead of just a pretty face, but instead my ego got curb-stomped by his royal highness.” 

“Shit, I know that feeling.” Bakura chuckled. 

“But are you watching?” Malik asked. “Isis is kicking Yugi’s ass. I think she might have had the same goal as you. I’ve never seen her look so fierce while dueling.” 

“What’s the point?” Mai groaned. “She’ll back him into a corner, but he’ll pull a magical card out of his hat at the last second and beat her. It’s bullshit.” 

“No. I think she’s actually going to win this,” Kek said. “Seriously, Mai watch this before you miss it.” 

Mai didn’t want to watch. Mai didn’t want to look as Isis focused and laying out combos to fight her way to victory. She was somehow already madly in love, and if she watched Isis duel...she’d fall so hard she’d never be able to pick herself up again. 

It was useless, though. The temptation to see Isis beat the King of Games was too strong. Isis’s hair and dress fluttered from the breeze. Her lips were pursed and her brow wrinkled in concentration as she lay her Gravekeepers across the field. She was the living embodiment of everything which made Mai choose a Harpie deck—strong, clever, intense, and gorgeous. Yugi’s mouth was also twisted in a focused knot. Mai saw his thoughts whirl behind his eyes as he played out strategies, but Isis revealed nothing in her expression, poised and stoic as ever. 

“God, he’s down to 400 LP.” Mai jerked to sitting, leaning forward as Yugi desperately set monsters on the field for defense. 

Then Isis flipped a trap: Fairy Wind. By destroying her Necrovalley and Necrovalley Temple, Isis delt 600 direct LP damage to herself and Yugi. The damage brought her to 1000 LP, but Yugi below 0. 

“Holy shit.” Mai jumped to her feet. 

“Well slap my ass and call me a bitch.” Bakura whistled. “She fucking won!” 

“I _knew it!”_ Malik smacked the blanket below them. “I knew it! That was amazing!” 

“Of course she won.” Rishid nodded, grinning. 

“Baby you did it!” Mai raced to Isis’s side, swirling her again as she did the first time Isis won. 

“I can’t believe the match is over.” Isis whispered into Mai’s hair as they embraced and rocked from side to side. 

“And you won!” Mai scooped Isis into her arms and carried her to the blanket where the others waited to congratulate her. 

They didn’t tease her about being a winner and not being able to sit by them. Instead they dog piled Isis in a group hug, everyone laughing. Isis’s face glowed and she giggled and accepted the barrage of hands patting her on her shoulders and back in congratulations. She shoved Bakura’s shoulder after he gave her a quick hug. 

“Hey now, sis. You better be nice to me, or I’ll kiss your cheek and embarrass you in front of all your cool, Pharaoh-loving friends.” 

“You’re bluffing.” Isis smirked. 

Bakura pressed a loud, wet kiss on her cheek.

“Gross!” Isis laughed, rubbing the kiss off her skin. 

“Shouldn’t have called my bluff.” Bakura laughed. 

Seto was announcing the winners. He called for a fifteen minute break before they announced the semi-final round. 

“Fifteen minutes. That’s all?” 

“Well, less duels means less break.” Moki shrugged eir shoulders. 

“That’s...too soon.” Isis held her stomach. “My nerves are still shot from dueling Yugi.” She stood and walked toward the castle entrance. “Excuse. I need to use the washroom.” 


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last chapter is just a quick epilogue, so I hope you like the end of this chapter (I think it's pretty cute, but I might be biased since I wrote it lol)

Mai found Isis in the washroom splashing cold water onto her flushed cheeks. When finished, Isis leaned over the sink, sucking in deep breaths.

“Babe.” Mai held her shoulders. “No matter what happens, you’ve gone farther than all of us, and everyone’s stoked about it.” She kissed the back of Isis’s hair.

“Thank you.” Isis took a towel from the basket on the sink—fancy deals with KC embroidered with blue and gold thread—and dried her face.

“But don’t think that means you can slack off next round.” Mai winked. “We’re all rooting for you to take home the first place trophy.”

“But no matter who I face—”

Mai dipped Isis low. Isis yelped, but laughed through the kiss that followed. Mai pressed a few extras onto the side of Isis’s neck.

“No matter who you face—you’re going to do great against them.”

“Ah yes, that must have been what I was going to say.” Isis smiled.

“It better have been.” Mai righted them to standing again and brushed Isis’s hair behind her ear.

“Thank you...you managed to calm me down before my next match.” Isis held both of Mai’s hands.

“It’s payback for you cheering me up after my last duel.” Mai snuck another kiss onto Isis’s lips.

“Next tournament, I’m sure you’ll win—unless you duel me.” Isis giggled.

“Mmm, I think I know how to distract you.” Mai tickled Isis’s sides. She squirmed and Mai used the opportunity to nip at her neck again.

“You better stop, or I really will be too distracted to play Duel Monsters.” Isis pinched Mai’s ass.

“Hey now. Let’s not get indecent.” Mai grabbed Isis’s hand and pressed it over the spot she pinched.

“Too late.” Isis chuckled, squeezing Mai’s rump.

“You ready to head back? Seto should be announcing the lineup now.”

Isis’s expression sombered, but she looked calm. Mai kissed Isis’s knuckles and they walked hand in hand to the others.

“Oh dear.” Isis sighed when she saw Yugi and the others near _The Losers Corner_.

“Maybe there won’t be a bloodbath.” Mai shrugged.

“One can only hope.” Isis gave Mai a half grin.

“Isis!” Yugi jogged to her when he saw them walking. He stopped and held you his hand. “I just wanted to say Great Game!”

“Thank you. It an honor to duel against you.” Isis accepted his hand and shook it, bowing her head slightly.

Ryou held out a cup. “Yugi do you want some lemonade—”

“No, not him.” Bakura threw his arms around Ryou, holding him back so he couldn’t offer Yugi the cup—despite all everyone else having one.

“Bakura, quit acting like a child.” Ryou tried to shake Bakura off of his shoulders.

“No way!”

“Thanks Ryou.” Yugi laughed, leaning enough to grab the cup from Ryou’s outstretched arm.

“Betrayed by my own husband!” Bakura lamented.

“Shh-shh-shhh! They’re announcing the semi-final line up.” Mai waived the others quiet as the screen appeared in the air above Seto’s head.

Isis and Seto. Atem and Natsumi.

“If you fight Natsumi in the finals, I will scream,” Malik teased.

“You’ll have to avenge us and break the Ishtar curse.” Rishid offered a slight grin.

“As it stands.” Ryou bowed. “Please beat Seto for me.”

“If it’s Seto and Atem in the finals _I’m_ going to scream.” Mokuba shook eir head.

“I think we’ll all scream if that happens,” Kek agreed. “But that’s how it ends half of the time.”

“I suppose I better go.” Isis squeezed Malik and Rishid’s hands, then hugged Mai, before tapping the other’s shoulders.

They patted her back in return and wished her luck. Isis marched to her spot, small compared to the enormous monitors surrounding the courtyard. Seto leered and spoke with his usual smugness. Mai crossed her arms over her chest.

“It’s going to be beautiful when Isis cleans that smirk off Seto’s face,” Mai said.

“Hell, she beat Yugi. She can beat Seto.” Bakura clenched his fists, more interested in the games than usual.

Seto scoffed as he shuffled his cards. “You know being my sister-in-law won’t give you any advantage against me.”

“You made that perfectly clear during your last two duels.” Isis set a card face down.

“As long as you understand.” Seto summoned Vorse Raider and attacked.

Isis’s face down card was Wall of Illusion which she moved to the graveyard. On her turn she summoned Copy Cat and used the spell Grave Keeper’s Servant.

“That’s my baby.” Mai clenched both her hands. “Make him work for each attack.”

“It doesn’t matter, because I have this.” Seto pulled his Kaiser Sea Horse which counted as two tributes. Destroying both his monsters, Seto called his first Blue Eyes White Dragon to the field and declared an attack with his patented cackle. Isis flipped her trap card: Mirror Force.

“You’re only delaying the inevitable.” Seto snarled.

“What is life except the continuous delaying of the inevitable?”

During Isis’s turn, she placed Servant of Catabolism onto the field. It allowed her to slice off 700LP directly from Seto’s total. She also used Dragged Down Into The Grave. Seto forced her to discard Spirit Exchange, but she added another Blue Eyes to the graveyard.

“Isis is amazing,” Ryou whispered.

Their group was quiet, muttering commentary on the game, but no one joked or spoke casually. Mai chewed her bottom lip, chewed the inside of her cheek, chewed the nails she already clipped days ago. Isis pummelled Seto with spell after spell and when he did manage to get the upper hand, she’d flip over a trap card. All the while she used cards that forced Seto to discard from his hand, wrecking his own chances for a counter strategy.

“Is she seriously going to win?” Moki covered eir mouth with eir hand. “No fucking way. Is she going to win?”

“She nearly has him.” Rishid grit his teeth, the closest Mai ever saw him to being a nervous wreck.

“You got this Isis. _You got this_.” Malik chanted.

In the end, Seto attacked with his final Blue Eyes, confident he’d win, but Isis had another Mirror Force in her deck, reflecting Seto’s damage back on him and earning her a place in the finals. Isis ran to them before Mai could reach her. They crashed together, babbling at the same time. Malik and Rishid joined them and they recounted the better moments of the duel. Meanwhile, Kek and Bakura walked toward Seto together. He crossed his arms over his chest.

“If you’re here to gloat, don’t bother. I’m well aware that I lost.”

“We would never _dream_ of gloating after you lost.” Bakura pressed his hand onto his chest.

“Especially because Isis knocked Bakura out of the tournament on the first day.” Kek laughed.

“Don’t act touch, Kek. Mai beat you, so we both lost. In fact, we’re all losers here, and there’s only one place for losers.” Bakura smirked.

“Don’t you dare.” Seto glared at both of them.

“Sorry, Ryou’s orders.” Kek lifted Seto and tossed him over his shoulder.

“You will set me down this instant,” Seto demanded as he gripped the fabric of Kek’s shirt.

“Sorry, I can’t hear you over the screaming crowds through the speakers.” Kek gestured, and the screams grew even louder, threatening to blow out the speakers wired all around them. Between Isis’s upset and Kek slinging Seto over his shoulder, the audience was rioting.

Kek hummed as he carried Seto over to _The Losers' Corner_. They dropped Seto in the center. Yugi and the others surrounded him, laughing and shoving lemonade at him in congratulations of his loss.

“Serves him right,” Malik muttered. “He forgets how to have fun if you don’t drag him kicking and screaming into it.”

“I’m a little empathetic. You and the others tend to have _too_ much fun, but it’s probably best Seto slow down with his tournament mania or next time he might have us dueling mid-air on hoverboards.”

“More like mechanical flying dragons,” Rishid said.

“Don’t give him ideas.” Mai shook her head.

“I heard that! We’re doing it!” Seto shouted from the sideline.

“Seto, please.” Isis sighed. “You’re too extreme.”

“I’m going to go over there and smack him.” Malik hugged Isis before returning to the others. He did not actually hit Seto.

“Now it’s time to see who I’ll face.” Isis watched as Atem won the coin toss.

Mai slipped her hand into Isis’s knowing she was nervous. Rishid vanished and returned a moment later with a few folding chairs so Isis could sit. A thick silence fell between them. Mai could only rub the top of Isis’s hand while they watched Atem pull perfect card after perfect card. Natsumi did her best, but fell like all the others before her. Mai exhaled, sympathetic, especially after her own defeat.

“Oh no.” Isis stood. “I can’t do this.”

“What?” Mai tilted her head.

“Had it been anyone else, but...I can’t fight against the Pharaoh.” Isis turned away from the dueling arena.

Of course Mai chased her, and Malik, Bakura, and Rishid chased after Mai.

***

“Hey! Slow down! We need to talk.” Mai called down the hallway.

Instead of slowing, Isis ducked into one of the endless rooms and slammed the door behind her. Mai crashed against it. She jiggled the knob, but it was locked, so she pounded her fist against the stainless steel.

“What’s wrong, shug? Open the door so we can talk about it.”

“I’m sorry. I can’t.” Isis’s voice slipped through the door, muffled and quiet. Her sobs were louder.

“Baby, please open the door.”

Panic cut through Mai’s chest. Isis had cold feet before the last match, but this was different. She looked frightened, and Mai had never seen her truly frightened. Isis dealt with Kek in Battle City when he was still no more than a Shadow as she hadn’t so much as blinked at his intimidation. This was something deeper than pre-gaming jitters, but Mai wasn’t sure what was wrong, and the door between them felt like a guillotine slicing through Mai’s throat.

“Here, let me.” Bakura nudged Mai aside. He pressed his forehead against the door. “I know why you’re freaking out, and I know how to pick locks, so open the door and talk to us, or I’m going to break in and you’ll have to talk to us anyway.”

“Don’t you _dare_, Bakura.” Isis said, somehow stern despite her voice cracking with tears.

“I don’t care how mad you get. Open the door, Isis.” Bakura smacked the door.

“Please...leave me be. I don’t want anyone seeing me cry.”

“Of course you don’t want anyone to see you!” Bakura raised his voice so it carried further beyond the door. “Because bla-bla-bla you have to be the good one and bla-bla-bla you have to be the strong one and bla-bla-bla you can’t let Malik see you break down because _heaven forbid _he see you having a hard time, but you can’t hide this from him, or Rishid, or Mai. It doesn’t work that way. _You know it doesn’t_.”

“Isis,” Malik’s voice was thin and stressed. He rested a hand on Bakura’s shoulder to calm him down.

Mai patted Malik's arm to comfort him, careful to avoid his back. She could tell this was one of _those moments_, and was starting to suspect why Isis ran. The Pharaoh was all but god to the tomb keepers, facing him—potentially defeating him—would be sacrilege for Isis.

“It’s okay,” Mai spoke to the door. “You don’t have to duel if you don’t want to, but please open the door, babe.”

“Last chance let us in or I’ll—”

Isis didn’t allow Bakura to finish. She opened the door, mouth pressed together to hold in her sobs, but the tears leaked down her cheeks. Malik stepped in front of her and grabbed her.

“It’s okay,” Malik whispered. “You don’t have to feel bad. I know you think you can’t fight him, but _it’s okay_. We did our part, we filled our roles. It’s over, and now it is your _right_ to duel him as an equal. No more hiding in the darkness, remember? We promised each other. We’ve been in the light for years, and you deserve to let your talents shine as bright as his—brighter, because you’re better, because if you duel—you’re going to win.”

“How could I possibly?” Isis shook his head. “He’s the Pharaoh. It’s treason, Malik, it’s treason.”

“No it’s not.” Malik shook his head. “Not anymore. This isn’t a Shadow Game, Isis, it’s just a tournament. We’re not steps for him to climb. We’re opponents and we’re playing a fair game.”

“_And you’re better than him_. I’m not saying that as your girlfriend—I’m saying it as a duelist.” Mai clenched her teeth.

Mai was more than a little angry. _Nothing_ should make Isis cry _ever—_unless it was from happiness. It wasn’t directly Atem’s fault, but it never was, was it? Nevertheless, Mai knew the Ishtars spent their life underground, and their childhoods had been so bad, that years later during Battle City, Malik’s alter ego sent Mai into a horror-induced coma. None of which wouldn’t have happened had it not been to preserve the honor and memories of the Pharaoh. Maybe none of it was Atem’s fault, but it happened, and Isis deserved to move beyond it.

“I’m not going to pretend I get it, because I don’t.” Mai shook her head. “But you need to understand that you're worth more than bowing your head and playing meek. You’ve proven your talent in this duel—not to save your brother or to serve destiny, but because you decided to play, and you played each game to win. If Atem can’t beat you he deserves to lose—and you deserve victory.”

“Fuck yeah.” Bakura nodded.

“Oh you just want anyone to win against him.” Isis snorted, rubbing her cheeks.

“I mean, yeah, but that doesn’t mean what Malik and Mai said isn’t true.”

“Besides, isn’t there something you were planning to do after this tournament?” Rishid asked. “Something important? You said this was going to be your true beginning. Are you really okay starting like this, Isis?”

“You’re right.” Isis pulled Rishid into her and Malik’s hug. “Thank you.”

“Here.” Mai reached into Isis’s messenger bag and stole some of the tissue she’d used earlier. She wiped Isis’s face, careful not to smudge the remaining khol and cleaning up and streaks staining Isis’s skin.

Isis smiled. The other two dropped away so she could stepped into Mai’s personal space. Cupping Mai’s cheek. Isis brushed their lips together. Mai slipped her hands around Isis’s waist.

“No one deserves this victory more than you, and I’m not just saying that because I’m falling head over blistering high-heels for you, but because the way you control the game with the right blend of spells and traps is awe-inspiring. You’ve already given me several ideas for my own deck.”

“Let’s give them a minute.” Rishid grabbed Bakura and Malik, pulling them away.

“But I want to eavesdrop and tease them for being gushy!” Bakura pouted.

“You’ll have to wait until after the tournament.” Rishid laughed.

Malik broke away in order to touch Isis’s arm. “If you need us, we’ll be right outside, okay?”

“Thank you, all of you.” Isis bowed her head.

“Are you okay?” Mai pulled isis closer once they were alone.

“Yes.” She hid in the crook of Mai’s shoulder. “I’m still terrified. Laying a card before the Pharaoh is like raising a sword to one’s liege.”

“Instead of you thinking of me as the Pharaoh, you could always think of me as your friend.” Atem’s voice echoed down the hall.

Mai and Isis lifted their heads and noticed Atem leaning against the wall a couple of meters away. His jacket hung from his shoulders like a cape and his arms were crossed over his chest, but he smiled at them.

“Do you mind?” Mai narrowed her gaze, but Isis pulled away and bowed.

“Pharaoh.”

“Call me Atem. We’re just two duelists about to play a game.” He walked to Isis and held out his hand. “I’d rather shake hands than see you bow.”

Isis stared at his hand, hesitating. Mai pressed a hand on Isis’s lower back for support. Isis sighed, accepted the handshake, and managed to keep her gaze level with Atem’s.

“Were you spying on us?” Mai pursed her lips, wanting to shoo him away. Better yet, punch him because he beat her in a card game. But she understood that he was trying to help, and she wasn’t actually angry—just huffy that he’d disturbed them.

“I didn’t mean to interrupt you, but Seto’s impatient, as always. I wanted to make sure my opponent was ready. Nobody wants to win because of a forfeit.” Atem frowned, and Mai wondered if he was remembering Battle City and the end of his duel with Malik.

“Forgive me.” Isis bowed again. “We can begin our match immediately.”

“Take your time, but when you’re ready—I’ll be waiting. You’ve done a great job, and I’m excited about our match.” He grinned before turning to leave.

“And next tournament I’m the one who’s going to kick your ass!” Mai shouted for the sake of bravado.

“I can’t wait!” Atem waved.

“It doesn’t help,” Isis whispered after Atem left. “He means well, but it doesn’t change things. It’s another game for him, but for me it’s challenging everything I’ve believed in my entire life...and it’s horrifying.”

“You don’t have to duel to make him happy.” Mai held her and rocked their bodies gently. “Or to make anyone happy—except yourself. If you don’t want to do this, don’t. We can blow this popsicle stand right now. Go buy take out and sex toys and have a blast.”

“Sounds fun, perhaps next week?”

“It’s a date.” Mai kissed the crown of Isis’s head. “What are you going to do?”

“My best,” Isis said.

“So you want to play?”

“Yes. It’s time. Part of me has never given up my life as a tomb keeper. Though this match is difficult, it is a chrysalis that I must shed if I’m going to prove to myself how I’ve changed. Atem relies too heavily on luck to win, but there’s no great destiny guiding us in this game to protect him. I’ve watched him play; I know how to beat him.”

“That’s my girl.” Mai kissed Isis again, her lips insatiable when it came to Isis’s skin against them.

“Will you escort me to the arena?” Isis asked.

“My pleasure.” Mai dropped to one knee like a knight before a grand lady. She ghosted her lips across Isis’s knuckles.

The absurdity of her own chivalry made Mai giddy. She wanted to scoop Isis in her arms, whisk her away, and forget all about card games until after their long, luxurious honeymoon (that she totally wasn’t fantasizing about), but even more so, she wanted to see Isis win, so Mai stood, offered her arm, and walked Isis back into the courtyard. Isis’s jewelry flashed in the sunlight. On a whim, Mai reached into her pouch and pulled out her cards.

“I noticed you have a lot of spells and traps that make your opponents burn through their deck. Here, take my Neibelung’s Ring card. It might come in handy.”

“Thank you.” Isis rose on her toes to kiss Mai’s cheek.

Though Mai never wanted to leave Isis’s side, she forced herself to pull away and chose a spot behind Isis to watch the game. Mai leaned against a pillar. She wasn’t sure where anyone else was. Mai heard them shouting and cheering each round, but her vision was narrowed, seeing only Isis and Isis alone.

Isis began timidly, testing the waters of their duel and having several of her important Gravekeepers sent to the graveyard. She managed to get Necrovalley onto the field, but Atem was ready and destroyed it almost immediately.

Isis didn’t flinch, and on her next turn she used Gravekeeper’s Priestess to act as a replacement for Necrovalley. Grave Keeper’s Curse cut 500 LP directly from Atem’s LP, and two turns later, she stopped Atem’s attack by using Gravekeeper’s Oracle to knock 2000 attack points off each of Atem’s cards. She also managed to equip Mai’s ring card onto the Dark Magician—rendering him useless.

Her final attack was Gravekeeper’s Visionary—enhanced with an extra 2000 attack because of all the Gravekeeper cards Isis had in her graveyard—destroying the Dark Magician and stealing the last of Atem’s life points.

The noise from the crowd was unbearable. The speakers crackled and made them flinch. Mai raced to Isis, but everyone crowded around her. They lifted her into the air, making her laugh and scream as they tossed her up and caught her. Mai fought her way closer. Isis scrambled to her feet and flung herself into Mai’s open arms.

“I knew you’d win!” Mai kissed her hair. “I knew it!”

“Because you convinced me to join the tournament in the first place.” Isis netted her fingers into Mai’s hair and pressed their foreheads together.

“Of course I did. I wanted to flirt.” Mai laughed.

“You gave me a lot of confidence.” Isis pulled away and reached into her pocket, pulling out a velvet box. “And I’m tired of carefully following the destiny the Necklace laid out before me. I want to carve out my own future—with you.” Isis dropped to one knee.

Mai slapped both hands over her mouth, muffling her scream.

“I _did_ see a glimpse of a possible future with us married, but it was too far in the future. I don’t want to wait.” Isis opened the box, revealing a diamond and sapphire peacock feather engagement ring. “When this tournament began, you gave me a golden token. Now that it's over, allow me to offer you this one in return.”

“Oh my God!” Mai shrieked, slamming her eyes shut. She ran away a moment, shaking her hands and squealing before rushing back to Isis and dropping to both knees.

“Mai,” Isis whispered. “You’re supposed to stay standing while I propose."

“But I need to look into your eyes when I say yes!” She was tearing up again, dammit.

“Yes?” Isis grinned, wide, all her teeth showing.

“Yes! Of course yes!”

Isis tackled Mai to the ground, smothering her lips while she slipped the engagement ring onto Mai’s finger.


	10. Chapter 10

“To Mai and Isis!” Mai raised a champagne flute into the air, leading her own toast. 

It was the afterparty, celebrating Isis’s victory and now their engagement as well. 

“This makes...four proposals during tournaments?” Yugi did the math on his fingers. 

“But no divorces. Duel proposals are auspicious,” Rishid said. 

“Yeah!” Yugi raised his glass as well. 

They emptied their champagne flutes and swarmed around the various tables loaded with food. Everyone bunched into their usual social clusters, but people kept swinging over to Mai and Isis's corner to congratulate them. 

"Hey." Malik walked up to them, hands stuffed in his pocket. "We're leaving a bit early so we can get all our things out of your hotel room." 

“There’s no rush,” Isis said. 

“Yes there is!” Bakura shouted from behind Malik. 

“Seto owes us some quality time,” Ryou translated in more civil terms. 

“Also, you should be able to get at least one peaceful night in your own room.” Malik shrugged. “But I promise once you move to Domino we’ll go anywhere _you_ want to go. Just ask and we’ll do it?” 

“Even if I want to go to the ballet?” Isis smirked. 

“I like the ballet.” Kek’s stuck his tongue out at Isis, catching her sarcasm. 

Mai shot him a glare. She was less into ballet and more into dance clubs, or at least an energetic Zumba class. She didn’t want them accidentally getting stuck at the ballet because of a joke gone wrong. 

“What I really want is to go to a 100 yen store,” Isis said, saving Mai from inevitable boredom. 

“A—why?” Malik face wrinkled. 

“People post cute things from there all the time on the internet, but you always wrinkle your nose at going—you’re doing it right now.” Isis pointed at her little brother. 

“Damn, she is calling you out in real time, Malik.” Bakura cackled. 

“Okay, okay.” Malik ran his fingers through his hair, sighing. “I said anywhere. We’ll go to a few 100 yen stores.” 

“Seto’s bank card is going to reject the purchase because the charge won’t high enough.” Kek laughed. 

“We’ll bring cash.” Ryou gave both Mai and Isis a quick hug. “You two have a good night.” 

“You too.” Mai winked.

They others embraced them as well. Rishid appeared a moment later, also saying goodbye. Mai scanned the remaining afterparty. Normally she enjoyed them, but normally she was half drunk and causing trouble with Ryou and the others. She didn’t feel like getting wasted—or rather, Isis’s company was more intoxicating than an extra glass of champagne—so Mai brushed Isis’s hair aside so she could whisper. 

“Why don’t we ditch this scene and take a walk?” 

“Through the mountain?” Isis raised an eyebrow. 

“Ugh, we do have to trudge back down the mountain again, don’t we?” 

“At least the limo should be waiting. Malik and the others probably left with Seto.” 

“Via the excessively dramatic dragon jet no doubt.” Mai laughed. 

“Nonetheless, I _would _enjoy a walk with you.” Isis stood, offering her arm to Mai. 

Mai linked their arms together and they snuck away. Someone had lit lanterns all along the trail to guide them safely down the mountain. 

“How beautiful.” Isis reached out, touched the thin rice paper lantern. Shadows danced around the path as the lantern swung from Isis’s touch. 

“Have you never been to a lantern festival?” Mai held Isis’s other hand 

“It seems like I always visit during the wrong time of year for them.” 

“Oh, we’ll definitely go to the next one.” 

“I can’t wait.” Isis exhaled a tight, stressed sounding sigh. “I can’t believe this is happening.” 

“What’s wrong?” Mai glanced at Isis. Ripples of light and shadow rolled over her in waves as they walked. 

“Nothing is wrong.” Isis shook her head. “However, everything is finally sinking in. I’m going to be moving to a different country, and I’m still in shock I won the tournament.”

“I’m not surprised at all that you won.” Mai kissed Isis’s shoulder. 

“I don’t believe I actually proposed to you!” Isis hid her face with her free hand. She held Mai’s arm tighter, adding more before Mai could speak. “I’m happy—but it’s so much. I’m not used to going this fast.” 

“Well, it’s not like we have to plan anything until you’re ready.” Mai offered her a calming smile. “People can stay engaged for years if they choose to.” 

“You’re right.” Isis exhaled, deflating. “I don’t want to wait years, but it’d be nice to settle in and adjust to living in Domino before I have to worry about cakes and dresses and a daycare area for Malik and the others.” 

Mai laughed; the sound echoed through the trees. They loosened their grip on each other, going from linking arms to lacing their fingers together. As they walked, they swung their joined hands. 

“There are so many stars.” Isis glanced through the patches in the canopy above them. “The light pollution in Domino dims them, but out here there’s so many it’s breathtaking.” 

“It’s not too far a drive to get out of town if you ever want to star gaze,” Mai said. 

“I’ll take you up on that offer one night.” Isis smiled. “I’ll drive.” 

“I can’t wait.” 

They followed the lanterns to the base of the mountain. The chauffeur bowed when he saw them and held the door open. Their conversations ranged from constellations, to tea versus coffee—Mai was on team coffee, but Isis argued mint tea was better—and which video games in Mai’s collection they would try to get through next. They became so engrossed in the conversation, that Mai was surprised when she saw the hotel rising up into the night sky. 

“So are you going to make me a glass of that mint tea you were talking about?” Mai asked. 

It was a thinly veiled excuse to go to her room, but Isis gave a bright nod as she led Mai to the top floor of the hotel. And she did go straight to the kitchen nook and turn on the kettle. Mai plopped on the sofa, sprawled out like a drunk. She closed her eyes and savored the sweet, sweet silence of not having Isis’s entire family crammed into the small living space. 

“If you don’t care for it I’ll brew you a cup of coffee.” Isis set a tall mug on the table. 

“Sit beside me.” Mai lifted herself to sitting and patted the cushion beside her. 

The tea was sweetened, and not bad, but Mai thought it’d taste better from Isis’s mouth, so she held Isis’s face and brushed their lips together. Isis dove in, twisting her fingers into Mai’s curls, opening her mouth, and slipping her tongue against Mai’s. Mai groped for Isis’s shoulders. Her fingers massaged down Isis’s arms and slid around her waist. Isis hummed as Mai rubbed circles into her lower back. 

“Bedroom.” Isis rose. Her dress swished behind her as she marched to her room. 

Mai gulped down the last of her tea and chased after Isis. The second Mai crossed the threshold, Isis pushed her onto the bed. Mai’s breath caught in her throat. Isis sank low, locking their lips together as they sank into the soft foam of the mattress. Mai worked his hands higher on Isis’s back. Her fingers brushed the zipper and she pulled it low. Isis scrambled out of the garment and tugged Mai’s top over her shoulders. Mai worked on her shorts as Isis unclasped Mai’s bra, tossing it over her shoulder. It struck the lamp shade, knocking the lamp off the table with a crash. 

“Damn. Sorry.” Mai flinched as the room dimmed. 

“We’ll add it to Malik’s tab.” Isis dismissed the broken lamp as she peppered Mai’s shoulders with ravenous kisses. 

“Brilliant idea.” With a wolfish grin, Mai removed Isis’s bra and threw it across the room. 

Their panties followed. Bare before each other, Mai held Isis’s hips, dragging her mouth up Isis’s belly and to her nipples. Isis rolled her hips, teasing their bodies together until they were wet as they pressed against each other. Mai groaned against Isis’s swollen breasts before pushing her lips between them to kiss Isis’s heart. Popping up her head, Mai caught Isis’s aroused gaze. 

“You won your tournament. I feel like we should celebrate.”

“How so?” Isis asked before latching onto Mai’s neck and sucking. 

“_Ah_—” Mai gasped. “Damn you’re good at that.” 

Mai ran her fingers along Isis’s curves as she writhed against her. When Isis moved to Mai’s collarbone, Mai flipped their positions. She trailed down Isis’s lithe body. After a few nips along Isis’s hips, Mai dropped her knees to the floor. She pulled Isis closer and whispered. 

“Like this.” 

Mai spread Isis’s leg and nestled between them. She nipped along one thigh then the other. Isis exhaled and tugged the comforter below her. Mai sucked on Isis's outer lips before pressing a deliberate kiss just below Isis’s hood. 

“Oh Mai!” Isis called out. 

Mai rewarded the pretty little cry with a lingering lick from Isis’s entrance to her clit. Isis called out again. Mai worked her up, lapping and swirling her tongue, when Isis’s cries rang out like bell peals, she returned to sucking around Isis’s cunt, licking between each fold. Mai circled the tip of her mid finger along the perimeter of Isis’s opening, spreading her wetness. She slipped in the tip of her finger. Easing in, easing out, giving Isis enough for to keep wanting more only to gradually provide it. Isis whinned as her orgasim drew close. Mai continued to coax her slowly. Isis bucked, wanton, impatient. Mai succumbed to the beauty of Isis’s cries and the intoxication of pleasuring her. She pressed her finger to its base, pumping several times before working in another finger and crooking them upward. Mai fluttered her tongue over Isis’s clit, steady-paced as she rubbed the nerves inside Isis. 

“Mai! Mai! Shit! Oh fuck!” Isis cursed. Her thighs squeezed together, pressing Mai on each side. A long, low moan broke as Isis stopped breathing mid-climax.

She came, groaned in relief, and kicked her legs out as her body relaxed. Mai rested her head against Isis’s thigh, savoring the moment as Isis caught her breath. 

“Come here.” Isis beckoned Mai closer. “I want to make you come.” 

Mai crawled onto the bed. Isis guided her, positioning her so she straddled over Isis’ face. Mai held the headboard for support, squealing as Isis’s tongue lashed against her sensitive clitoris. Mai rocked her hips. She forced herself to move at an easy gate, savoring Isis’s tongue against her, allowing the shivers to lick up her nerves without giving in to her orgasm too quickly. 

Mai lost all sense of time as pleasure washed over her senses. Her tits bounced as she bucked against Isis’s tongue and her thighs trembled. Below Mai, Isis’s hair scattered around the pillow, as dark and beautiful as the night sky stretching across the entire earth. Her licks grew broad and deliberate; Mai sang out in pure bliss. 

“Sugar,” Mai purred, her heart stempeding against her chest. 

She couldn’t hold back. Mai curled her grip against the headboard and sped up her pace. Sesing Mai’s eagerness, Isis circling her tongue, fast but controlled licks that sent euphoria rocketing through Mai. She arched backward, erect nipples jutting out from her breasts, hair cascading around her shoulders, mouth wide as she cried out. After she came, Mai shuddered with little aftershocks. She eased upward and then spun onto her back, right arm splayed over Isis’s stomach and the left one dangling over the edge of the bed. 

“That was good,” Isis muttered. 

“Yeah,” Mai sighed, eyes closed. 

They fell asleep without hesitation. Exhausted from dueling while both physically and emotionally satisfied from lovemaking. 

***

“Here? Or maybe over there?” Isis paced the length of Mai’s living room. 

“What about the corner in the back?” Mai pointed to the area she mentioned. 

“Will it fit? Oh dear, I’m going to have to take measurements when we go to Luxor next week.” 

“My measurements are 36 24 36.” Mai winked. 

Isis tilted her head to the side. 

“Nevermind, I don’t want to convert that into centimeters.” Mai laughed. 

Mai had her hair swept in a bandana. They’d spent the morning deep cleaning Mai’s apartment and getting it ready for Isis’s belongings. Mai grabbed a glass of sweetened mint tea from the coffee table and drank.

“So?” Isis smiled.

“It’s growing on me.” Mai grinned. 

“Are you saying that to be polite?” 

“Who am I, Ryou?” Mai snorted. “It’s not a mocha, but it is good—an honest review by Mai Kujaku.” Mai winked. “Soon to be Mai Ishtar.” 

“Do you want a spring wedding, or summer? I can’t decide which season is my favorite.” 

“Let’s do early summer. It will be hot, but not scorching, and we can tell people to bring swimwear and have a pool party reception. After a million pictures in our wedding clothes, I’m sure we’ll want to jump in a pool.” 

“That sounds amazing. Mai you’re brilliant when it comes to planning parties.” 

“Of course I am.” Mai lifted Isis into the air and kissed her before setting her to her feet. 

“This place can’t get any cleaner. Weren’t we going to start Chrono Trigger today?” Isis snatched a final kiss from Mai and dropped to the sofa. She reached for her own glass of tea and took a sip before grabbing the control pad. 

“I thought you’d never ask.” Mai turned on the tv, started the game, and nestled beside Isis. 

“This one will have a _happy ending_, I presume?” Isis raised an eyebrow. 

“Hey, Illusions of Gaia didn’t have a sad ending! It was just...a little ambiguous. It’s kinda common for rpg games.” 

“Ambiguous? They had to separate!” 

“He said he’d find her!” Mai argued. 

“It doesn’t count if I don’t get to see it.” Isis knitted her brows together in a pout. 

“You could say that finding each other again will be their destiny.” Mai grinned. 

“Don’t get cute with me,” Isis scolded, but her pout curved into a grin. “You never answered my question. Does this game have a better ending?” 

“My love.” Mai held Isis’s hand and kissed her knuckles. “_This_ game has _many endings_, and I will show you all the best ones.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well damn, if a girl gave me a smooth-ass Chrono Trigger line like at the end of this fic, I'd freaking marry her too, wtf. 
> 
> Hope everyone enjoyed this fic and the overall collection! Thanks for all the support from both participants and readers!!


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